Positive and negative character traits of Oblomov, his inconsistency in Goncharov’s novel. “Oblomov’s Dream” - the world of a sleepy and poetic soul Characteristics of Oblomov positive qualities

The pinnacle of creativity of the talented Russian prose writer and critic of the 19th century Ivan Goncharov was the novel “Oblomov”, published in 1859 in the magazine “Otechestvennye zapiski”. Its epic scale of artistic exploration of the life of the Russian nobility of the mid-nineteenth century allowed this work to occupy one of the central places in Russian literature.

Characteristics of the main character

Main character novel - Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, a young (32-33 years old) Russian nobleman, idly and carefree living on his estate. He has a pleasant appearance, the main feature of which is softness in all his features and the main expression of his soul.

His favorite pastime is lying apathetically on the couch and pointlessly spending time in empty thoughts and dreamy thoughts. Moreover, the complete absence of any action is his conscious choice, because he once had a position in the department and was waiting for advancement up the career ladder. But then he got bored with it and gave up everything, making his ideal a carefree life filled with sleepy peace and tranquility, like in childhood.

(Old faithful servant Zakhar)

Oblomov is distinguished by his sincerity, gentleness and kindness; he has not even lost such a valuable moral quality as conscience. He is far from evil or bad deeds, but at the same time it is confident to say that he goodie, it is forbidden. Goncharov drew for the reader scary picture Oblomov’s spiritual desolation and his moral decay. The old and faithful servant Zakhar is a mirror reflection of the character of his young master. He is just as lazy and sloppy, devoted to the depths of his soul to his master and also shares with him the philosophy of his life.

One of the main storylines in the novel, which reveals the character of the main character in the best possible way, is Oblomov’s love relationship with Olga Ilyinskaya. The romantic feelings that suddenly flared up in Oblomov’s heart for this young and sweet person arouse in him an interest in spiritual life, he begins to take an interest in the art and mental demands of his time. Thus, a ray of hope arises that Oblomov can return to normal human life. Love reveals in him new, previously unknown traits of his character, inspires him and inspires him to a new life.

But in the end, the feeling of love for this pure and highly moral girl becomes a bright, but very short-lived flash in the measured and monotonous life of the lazy gentleman. The illusions that they can be together are dispelled very quickly, they are too different from Olga, he will never be able to become the one she wants to see next to her. There is a natural break in the relationship. In the process of choosing between a romantic date and a serene sleepy state in which he lived most of his adult life, Oblomov chooses his usual and favorite option of doing nothing. And only in the house of Agafya Pshenitsina, surrounded by such familiar care and an idle, carefree life, does he find his ideal refuge, where his life quietly and imperceptibly ends.

The image of the main character in the work

After its release, the novel received close attention from both critics and readers. Based on the surname of the main character of this work (on the initiative of the famous literary critic Dobrolyubov), the whole concept of “Oblomovism” appeared, which subsequently acquired broad historical significance. It is described as a real disease of modern Russian society, when young and full of energy people of noble origin are busy with reflection and apathy, they are afraid to change anything in their lives and prefer lazy and idle vegetation instead of action and struggle for their happiness.

According to Dobrolyubov, the image of Oblomov is a symbol of serf society in Russia in the 19th century. The origins of his “disease” lie precisely in the serfdom, in the technical backwardness of the economy, in the process of exploitation and humiliation of forced peasant slaves. Goncharov revealed to the readers the entire path of development of Oblomov’s character and his complete moral degradation, which applies not only to one individual representative of the noble class, but to the entire nation as a whole. Oblomov’s path, sadly enough, is the path of most people who do not have a specific goal in life and are absolutely useless for society.

Even such noble and lofty feelings as friendship and love could not break this vicious circle of laziness and idleness, so one can only sympathize with Oblomov that he did not find the strength to cast off the shackles of sleep and live a new, full life.

One of the largest Russian writers of the XIX century Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov is the author of widely known novels: “ An ordinary story", "Oblomov" and "Breakage".

Particularly popular Goncharov's novel "Oblomov". Although it was printed more than a hundred years ago (in 1859), it is still read with great interest as a vivid artistic image musty landowner life. It captures the typical literary image of enormous impressive power - the image of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov.

The remarkable Russian critic N.A. Dobrolyubov, in his article “What is Oblomovism?”, elucidating the historical significance of Goncharov’s novel, established the features that mark this painful phenomenon in public life and in a person’s personality.

Oblomov's character

Basic Oblomov's character traits- weakness of will, passive, indifferent attitude towards the surrounding reality, a tendency towards a purely contemplative life, carelessness and laziness. Common noun“Oblomov” came into use to designate an extremely inactive, phlegmatic and passive person.

Oblomov's favorite pastime is lying in bed. “Ilya Ilyich’s lying down was neither a necessity, like that of a sick person or like a person who wants to sleep, nor an accident, like that of someone who is tired, nor a pleasure, like that of a lazy person - it was his normal state. When he was at home - and he was almost always at home - he kept lying down, and everything was always in the same room.” Oblomov's office was dominated by neglect and negligence. If it weren’t for the plate with a salt shaker and a gnawed bone lying on the table, uncleaned from the evening dinner, and the pipe leaning against the bed, or the owner himself lying in bed, “one would think that no one lives here - everything was so dusty, faded and generally devoid of living traces of human presence.”

Oblomov is too lazy to get up, too lazy to get dressed, too lazy to even concentrate his thoughts on anything.

Living a sluggish, contemplative life, Ilya Ilyich is not averse to dreaming sometimes, but his dreams are fruitless and irresponsible. So he, the motionless hulk, dreams of becoming a famous commander, like Napoleon, or a great artist, or a writer, before whom everyone bows. These dreams did not lead to anything - they are just one of the manifestations of an idle pastime.

A state of apathy is also typical of Oblomov’s character. He is afraid of life, tries to isolate himself from life's impressions. He says with effort and prayer: “Life touches.” At the same time, Oblomov is deeply characterized by lordship. Once his servant Zakhar hinted that “others lead a different life.” Oblomov responded to this reproach this way:

“Another one works tirelessly, runs around, fusses... If he doesn’t work, he won’t eat... And I?.. Am I rushing about, am I working?.. Do I eat little, or what?.. Am I missing something? It seems like there’s someone to give it to: I’ve never once pulled a stocking on my feet as I’ve been living, thank God! Will I worry? What do I need from?

Why did Oblomov become an “Oblomov”? Childhood in Oblomovka

Oblomov was not born such a worthless slacker as he is presented in the novel. All his negative character traits are a product of depressing living conditions and upbringing in childhood.

In the chapter “Oblomov’s Dream” Goncharov shows why Oblomov became “Oblomov”. But how active, inquisitive and inquisitive little Ilyusha Oblomov was and how these traits were extinguished in the ugly environment of Oblomovka:

“The child looks and observes with a sharp and ever-changing gaze how and what adults do, what they devote their morning to. Not a single detail, not a single feature escapes the child’s inquisitive attention; the picture of home life is indelibly etched into the soul, the soft mind is nourished with living examples and unconsciously draws the program of his life based on the life around him.”

But how monotonous and boring are the pictures of domestic life in Oblomovka! All life consisted in the fact that people ate many times a day, slept until they were stupefied, and in their free time from eating and sleeping, they loitered around.

Ilyusha is a lively, active child, he wants to run around and observe, but his natural childish inquisitiveness is blocked.

“Let’s go for a walk, Mom,” says Ilyusha.
- What are you saying, God bless you! Now go for a walk,” she replies, “it’s damp, you’ll catch cold in your legs; and it’s scary: a goblin is now walking in the forest, he’s carrying away little children...”

They protected Ilyusha from labor in every possible way, created a lordly state in the child, and taught him to be inactive. “If Ilya Ilyich wants something, he only has to blink - three or four servants rush to fulfill his desire; whether he drops something, whether he needs to get something, but he can’t get it, whether to bring something, whether to run away; sometimes, like a playful boy, he just wants to rush in and redo everything himself, and then suddenly his father and mother and three aunts shout in five voices:

"For what? Where? What about Vaska, and Vanka, and Zakharka? Hey! Vaska! Vanka! Zakharka! What are you looking at, dumbass? Here I am!.."

And Ilya Ilyich will never be able to do anything for himself.”

Parents looked at Ilyusha's education only as a necessary evil. It was not respect for knowledge, nor the need for it that they awakened in the child’s heart, but rather disgust, and they tried in every possible way to “make this difficult matter easier” for the boy; under various pretexts they did not send Ilyusha to the teacher: sometimes under the pretext of ill health, sometimes because of someone’s upcoming name day, and even in those cases when they were going to bake pancakes.

The years of his studies at the university passed without a trace for Oblomov’s mental and moral development; nothing worked out for this man who was not accustomed to work; Neither his smart and energetic friend Stolz, nor his beloved girl Olga, who set the goal of returning Oblomov to an active life, had a deep impact on him.

Parting with his friend, Stolz said: “Farewell, old Oblomovka, you have outlived your time”. These words refer to tsarist pre-reform Russia, but even in the conditions of the new life, many sources that fed Oblomovism were still preserved.

Oblomov today, in the modern world

No today, at modern world Oblomovki, no Oblomov in the sharply expressed and extreme form in which it is shown by Goncharov. But with all this, in our country from time to time we encounter manifestations of Oblomovism as a relic of the past. Their roots must be sought first of all in the incorrect conditions of family upbringing of some children, whose parents, usually without realizing it, contribute to the emergence of Oblomov-like sentiments and Oblomov-like behavior in their children.

And in the modern world there are families where love for children is manifested in providing them with such conveniences in which children, as far as possible, are freed from labor. Some children show traits of Oblomov’s weak character only in relation to certain types of activity: mental or, on the contrary, physical labor. Meanwhile, without a combination of mental and physical labor, development proceeds one-sidedly. This one-sidedness can lead to general lethargy and apathy.

Oblomovism is a sharp expression of weak character. To prevent it, it is necessary to cultivate in children those strong-willed character traits that exclude passivity and apathy. These traits primarily include determination. A person with a strong character has traits of strong-willed activity: determination, courage, initiative. Particularly important for a strong character is perseverance, which manifests itself in overcoming obstacles and in the fight against difficulties. Strong characters are formed through struggle. Oblomov was freed from all effort, life in his eyes was divided into two halves: “one consisted of work and boredom - these were synonyms for him; the other from peace and peaceful fun.” Not accustomed to labor effort, children, like Oblomov, tend to identify work with boredom and seek peace and peaceful fun.

It is useful to re-read the wonderful novel “Oblomov”, so that, imbued with a feeling of disgust for Oblomovism and its roots, carefully monitor whether there are any remnants of it in the modern world - albeit not in a sharp, but sometimes disguised form, and take all measures to overcome these remnants.

Based on materials from the magazine “Family and School”, 1963

The main character of the novel is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, a landowner who, however, lives permanently in St. Petersburg. Oblomov's character is perfectly maintained throughout the novel. It is far from being as simple as it might seem at first glance. The main character traits of Oblomov are an almost painful weakness of will, expressed in laziness and apathy, then a lack of living interests and desires, fear of life, fear of any changes in general.

But, along with these negative traits, there are also major positive ones in him: remarkable spiritual purity and sensitivity, good nature, cordiality and tenderness; Oblomov has a “crystal soul,” as Stolz puts it; these traits attract to him the sympathy of everyone who comes into close contact with him: Stolz, Olga, Zakhar, Agafya Matveevna, even his former colleagues who visit him in the first part of the novel. Moreover, Oblomov is far from stupid by nature, but his mental abilities are dormant, suppressed by laziness; He has both a desire for good and a consciousness of the need to do something for the common good (for example, for his peasants), but all these good inclinations are completely paralyzed in him by apathy and lack of will. All these character traits of Oblomov appear brightly and prominently in the novel, despite the fact that there is little action in it; in this case, this is not a drawback of the work, since it fully corresponds to the apathetic, inactive nature of the main character. The brightness of the characterization is achieved mainly through the accumulation of small but characteristic details that vividly depict the habits and inclinations of the person depicted; Thus, just from the description of Oblomov’s apartment and its furnishings on the first pages of the novel, one can get a fairly accurate idea of the personality of the owner himself. This method of characterization is one of the favorite artistic techniques Goncharova; That’s why in his works there are so many small details of everyday life, furnishings, etc.

In the first part of the novel, Goncharov introduces us to Oblomov’s lifestyle, his habits, and also talks about his past, how his character developed. During this entire part, which describes one “morning” of Oblomov, he almost never leaves his bed; in general, lying on a bed or on a sofa, in a soft robe, was, according to Goncharov, his “normal state.” Any activity tired him; Oblomov once tried to serve, but not for long, because he could not get used to the demands of the service, to strict accuracy and diligence; a fussy official life, writing papers, the purpose of which was sometimes unknown to him, the fear of making mistakes - all this weighed on Oblomov, and, having once sent an official paper instead of Astrakhan to Arkhangelsk, he chose to resign. Since then, he lived at home, almost never leaving: neither to society, nor to the theater, almost never leaving his beloved deceased robe. His time passed in a lazy “crawling from day to day,” in idle doing nothing or in no less idle dreams of great exploits, of glory. This play of imagination occupied and amused him, in the absence of other, more serious mental interests. Like any serious work that requires attention and concentration, reading tired him; therefore, he read almost nothing, did not follow life in the newspapers, content with the rumors that rare guests brought to him; the half-read book, unfolded in the middle, turned yellow and became covered with dust, and in the inkwell, instead of ink, there were only flies. Every extra step, every effort of will was beyond his power; Even concern for himself, for his own well-being, weighed on him, and he willingly left it to others, for example, Zakhar, or relied on “maybe,” on the fact that “somehow everything will work out.” Whenever a serious decision had to be made, he complained that “life touches you everywhere.” His ideal was a calm, peaceful life, without worries and without any changes, so that “today” would be like “yesterday”, and “tomorrow” would be like “today”. Everything that disturbed the monotonous course of his existence, every concern, every change frightened and depressed him. The letter from the headman, who demanded his orders, and the need to move out of the apartment seemed to him real “misfortunes,” in his own words, and he only calmed down with the fact that somehow all this would work out.

But if there were no other traits in Oblomov’s character other than laziness, apathy, weak-willedness, mental slumber, then he, of course, could not have interested the reader in himself, and Olga would not have been interested in him, and could not have served as the hero of an entire extensive novel. To do this, it is necessary that these negative aspects of his character be balanced by equally important positive ones that can arouse our sympathy. And Goncharov, indeed, from the very first chapters shows these personality traits of Oblomov. In order to more clearly highlight its positive, sympathetic sides, Goncharov introduced several episodic persons who appear in the novel only once and then disappear from its pages without a trace. This is Volkov, an empty socialite, a dandy, looking for only pleasures in life, alien to any serious interests, leading a noisy and active life, but nevertheless completely devoid of inner content; then Sudbinsky, a careerist official, completely immersed in the petty interests of the official world and paperwork, and “for the rest of the world he is blind and deaf,” as Oblomov puts it; Penkin, a minor writer of a satirical, accusatory direction: he boasts that in his essays he exposes weaknesses and vices to general ridicule, seeing in this the true calling of literature: but his self-satisfied words cause rebuff from Oblomov, who finds in his works new school only slavish loyalty to nature, but too little soul, little love for the subject of the image, little true “humanity”. In the stories that Penkin admires, according to Oblomov, there are no “invisible tears,” but only visible, rough laughter; By depicting fallen people, the authors “forget man.” “You want to write with only your head! - he exclaims, - do you think that a heart is not needed for thought? No, she is fertilized by love. Extend your hand to a fallen person to lift him up, or weep bitterly over him if he dies, and do not mock him. Love him, remember yourself in him... then I will begin to read you and bow my head before you...” From these words of Oblomov it is clear that his view of the vocation of literature and its demands from a writer is much more serious and lofty than that of a professional writer Penkin, who, in his words, “wastes his thought, his soul on trifles, trades in his mind and imagination.” Finally, Goncharov brings out another certain Alekseev, “a man of uncertain years, with an indeterminate physiognomy,” who has nothing of his own: neither his tastes, nor his desires, nor his sympathies: Goncharov introduced this Alekseev, obviously, in order to show, through comparison, that Oblomov, despite all his spinelessness, is not at all impersonal, that he has his own specific moral physiognomy.

Thus, a comparison with these episodic persons shows that Oblomov was mentally and morally superior to the people around him, that he understood the insignificance and illusory nature of the interests in which they were keen. But Oblomov not only could, but also knew how, “in his clear, conscious moments,” be critical of the surrounding society and himself, recognize his own shortcomings and suffer heavily from this consciousness. Then memories of his youth awakened in his memory, when he was at the university with Stolz, studied science, translated serious scientific works, was fond of poetry: Schiller, Goethe, Byron, dreamed of future activities, of fruitful work for the common benefit. Obviously, at this time Oblomov was also influenced by the idealistic hobbies that dominated among Russian youth of the 30s and 40s. But this influence was fragile, because Oblomov’s apathetic nature was not characterized by long-term passion, just as systematic hard work was unusual. At the university, Oblomov was content to passively assimilate the ready-made conclusions of science, without thinking them through on his own, without defining their mutual relationship, without bringing them into a harmonious connection and system. Therefore, “his head represented a complex archive of dead affairs, persons, eras, figures, unrelated political-economic, mathematical and other truths, tasks, provisions, etc. It was as if a library consisting of some scattered volumes on different parts knowledge. The teaching had a strange effect on Ilya Ilyich: between science and life there lay a whole abyss, which he did not try to cross. “He had life on its own, and science on its own.” Knowledge divorced from life, of course, could not be fruitful. Oblomov felt that he, as an educated person, needed to do something, he was aware of his duty, for example, to the people, to his peasants, he wanted to arrange their fate, improve their situation, but everything was limited only to many years of thinking about a plan for economic reforms, and the actual management of the farm and the peasants remained in the hands of the illiterate headman; and the conceived plan could hardly have practical significance in view of the fact that Oblomov, as he himself admits, did not have a clear understanding of village life, did not know “what corvée is, what rural labor is, what a poor man means, what a rich man means.”

Such ignorance of real life, with a vague desire to do something useful, brings Oblomov closer to the idealists of the 40s, and especially to the “superfluous people”, as they are portrayed by Turgenev.

Similar to " unnecessary people", Oblomov sometimes became imbued with the consciousness of his powerlessness, his inability to live and act; at a moment of such consciousness, "he felt sad and painful for his underdevelopment, the stop in the growth of moral forces, for the heaviness that interfered with everything; and envy gnawed at him that others lived so fully and widely, while for him it was as if a heavy stone had been thrown on the narrow and pitiful path of his existence... And meanwhile, he painfully felt that some kind of... that good, bright beginning, perhaps now, has already died, or it lies like gold in the depths of the mountains, and it would be high time for this gold to be a walking coin.” The consciousness that he was not living as he should, vaguely wandered in his soul, he suffered from this consciousness, sometimes cried bitter tears of powerlessness, but could not decide on any change in life, and soon calmed down again, which was facilitated by his apathetic nature, incapable of a strong uplift of spirit. When Zakhar carelessly decided to compare him with “others,” Oblomov was severely offended by this, and not only because he felt offended in his lordly pride, but also because in the depths of his soul he realized that this comparison with “others” was going far from in his favor.

When Stolz asks Zakhar what Oblomov is, he replies that he is a “master.” This is a naive, but quite accurate definition. Oblomov is, indeed, a representative of the old serf lordship, a “master,” that is, a man who “has Zakhar and three hundred more Zakharovs,” as Goncharov himself puts it about him. Using the example of Oblomov, Goncharov thus showed how detrimentally serfdom affected the nobility itself, preventing the generation of energy, perseverance, initiative, and work habits. In former times, compulsory public service supported in the service class these qualities necessary for life, which began to gradually fade away since compulsory service was abolished. The best people among the nobility have long realized the injustice of this order of things created by serfdom; The government, starting with Catherine II, wondered about its abolition; literature, in the person of Goncharov, showed its detrimental nature for the nobility itself.

“It started with the inability to put on stockings, and ended with the inability to live,” Stolz aptly put it about Oblomov. Oblomov himself is aware of his inability to live and act, his inability to adapt, the result of which is a vague but painful fear of life. This consciousness is the tragic feature in Oblomov’s character, which sharply separates him from the former “Oblomovites.” They were whole natures, with a strong, albeit simple-minded, worldview, alien to any doubts, any internal duality. In contrast to them, there is precisely this duality in Oblomov’s character; it was brought into it by the influence of Stolz and the education he received. For Oblomov it was already psychologically impossible to lead the same calm and complacent existence that his fathers and grandfathers led, because deep down in his soul he still felt that he was not living as he should and as “others” like Stolz lived. Oblomov already has a consciousness of the need to do something, to be useful, to live not for himself alone; He also has a consciousness of his duty to the peasants, whose labors he uses; he is developing a “plan” for a new structure of village life, where the interests of the peasants are also taken into account, although Oblomov does not at all think about the possibility and desirability of the complete abolition of serfdom. Until this “plan” is completed, he does not consider it possible to move to Oblomovka, but, of course, nothing comes of his work, because he lacks either knowledge of rural life, perseverance, diligence, or real conviction in the feasibility of the “plan” itself. " Oblomov grieves heavily at times, suffers in the consciousness of his unfitness, but is unable to change his character. His will is paralyzed, every action, every decisive step frightens him: he is afraid of life, just as in Oblomovka they were afraid of the ravine, about which there were various unkind rumors.

Traits of national character in the image
I. I. Oblomova

In 1859, one of the most remarkable works of I. A. Goncharov, “Oblomov,” was published. This novel was received ambiguously by readers: some praised it and read it, others scolded it and expressed all sorts of disdain. The critics also disagreed; each gave his own assessment of the novel and did not want to agree with someone else’s. But meanwhile the novel sold out, and soon all of St. Petersburg knew and discussed “Oblomov.”

The work stirred up a new wave in the ocean that was raging in Russia at that time: whether to have a true Russian character and way of life or to try to imitate a foreign style. People agreed that, indeed, Goncharov cast Oblomov in too unattractive a light.
What are Traits of national character in the image of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, around which there were so many disputes and discussions? The main character of the novel is a slow, unusually lazy person. He was never in a hurry, he liked to put things off, and was in no hurry to do today what could be done tomorrow. His favorite pastime was sleeping; eating came in second place. Ilya Ilyich woke up at lunchtime, and only extraordinary events could pull him out of his comfortable bed. Oblomov spent his entire day in inaction and peace, he did not go anywhere, was not interested in anything, and his measured, drawn-out life would have flowed from day to day, if not for his acquaintances and friends who occasionally visited him.

Traits of national character in the image of Oblomov Goncharov, exaggerating a little, showed it unusually accurately. Let us at least remember Oblomov’s spiritual qualities. According to the author of the novel, Ilya Ilyich had a pure heart, to which all sorts of dirt did not stick, and a soul as transparent as crystal. Oblomov was a very kind, gentle person. His house was always open to visitors: both close friends and ordinary acquaintances. Ilya Ilyich’s bread and salt also knew no bounds; he never refused people, even those unpleasant to him: Oblomov always treated Tarantiev, although it was very difficult. assume that they were close acquaintances..

It is these qualities that have distinguished the Russian people from time immemorial. Foreigners traveling around Russia were always amazed by the breadth of the soul of Russians, their generosity, kindness and openness.

There is another one in Oblomov amazing feature, inherent in all Russian people without exception, is hope for “maybe.” Who among us has never used this magic word? Ilya Ilyich hopes that perhaps the matter of moving to another apartment will be settled by itself, perhaps the headman himself will improve Oblomovka’s financial situation.

Where do these come from? National Character Traits in the Russian character? Goncharov gives the answer to this question in the chapter “Oblomov’s Dream,” which, it seems to me, is the key to the entire novel. From childhood, Ilya Ilyich was brought up in conditions where it was easier to say a few words than to do the deed himself. As a child, Ilya Ilyich observed nature and tried to do something with his own hands, but his parents carefully protected him from any work and from making independent decisions. All his life Ilya Ilyich felt in himself hidden forces, but could not release them and use them for the benefit of Russia or at least for his own benefit. The stereotype is firmly entrenched in Oblomov happy life- rest, refusal of all activities. For Ilya Ilyich, a cozy robe and a soft feather bed become symbols of happiness.

Oblomov could not stand the test of his sincere, ardent love for Olga Ilyinskaya. At first, when their attraction to each other flared up into passion, Ilya Ilyich changed greatly for the better: he forgot about his dressing gown, his afternoon nap... Oblomov began to often appear in society, dress smartly, often met with Olga, and it seemed that he had changed forever , the former life is buried. But as soon as a serious situation arose that required decisive action from Ilya Ilyich (it was necessary to propose to Olga, rent a new apartment, put things in order on the estate, etc.), Oblomov did not find the strength to fulfill his plans and sank again: stopped seeing Olga, returned to his old friends - a robe and a sofa, began to sleep during the day again and finally moved to the Vyborg side, where he hid from society like a hermit.

Moving to the Vyborg side and meeting Agafya Pshenitsyna played a tragic role in Oblomov’s fate: he completely sank, and nothing, not even friendship with Stolz and love for Olga, could pull him out of the hole where Ilya Ilyich fell.

After reading “Oblomov”* I thought for a long time about the Russian character, compared myself, my relatives and acquaintances with the hero of the novel and, I must admit, I was surprised to find very similar features in everyone. Oblomov lives in every Russian people to one degree or another. The character of Ilya Ilyich has many positive and many negative traits; his image reflects a typical Russian national character, however, not without some exaggerations. And for a very long time, the Russian people will suffer from their inherent contemplation, resulting in fruitless daydreaming, but I want to believe that, despite all the vicissitudes of fate, they will carry openly through the years kind heart your own and a soul as pure as crystal.

Oblomov's character

Roman I.A. Goncharov's "Oblomov" was published in 1859. It took almost 10 years to create it. This is one of the most outstanding novels classical literature of our time. This is how famous people spoke about the novel literary critics that era. Goncharov was able to convey realistically objective and reliable facts about the reality of the layers of the social environment of the historical period. It must be assumed that his most successful achievement was the creation of the image of Oblomov.

He was a young man of about 32-33 years old, of average height, with a pleasant face and an intelligent look, but without any definite depth of meaning. As the author noted, the thought walked across the face like a free bird, fluttered in the eyes, dropped onto half-open lips, hid in the folds of the forehead, then completely disappeared and a carefree young man appeared in front of us. Sometimes one could read boredom or fatigue on his face, but still there was a gentleness of character and the warmth of his soul in him. Throughout Oblomov’s life, he has been accompanied by three attributes of bourgeois well-being - a sofa, a robe and shoes. At home, Oblomov wore an oriental soft, roomy robe. He spent all his free time lying down. Laziness was an integral trait of his character. Cleaning in the house was carried out superficially, creating the appearance of cobwebs hanging in the corners, although at first glance one might think that the room was well cleaned. There were two more rooms in the house, but he did not go there at all. If there was an uncleaned plate from dinner with crumbs everywhere, a half-smoked pipe, you would think that the apartment was empty, no one lived in it. He was always surprised by his energetic friends. How can you waste your life like this, scattering yourself on dozens of things at once? His financial condition wanted to be better. Lying on the sofa, Ilya Ilyich was always thinking about how to correct him.

The image of Oblomov is a complex, contradictory, even tragic hero. His character predetermines an ordinary, uninteresting fate, devoid of the energy of life and its bright events. Goncharov pays his main attention to the established system of that era, which influenced his hero. This influence was expressed in Oblomov’s empty and meaningless existence. Helpless attempts at revival under the influence of Olga, Stolz, marriage to Pshenitsyna, and death itself are defined in the novel as Oblomovism.

The very character of the hero, according to the writer’s plan, is much larger and deeper. Oblomov's dream is the key to unlocking the entire novel. The hero moves to another era, to other people. Lots of light, joyful childhood, gardens, sunny rivers, but first you have to overcome obstacles, an endless sea with raging waves and groans. Behind him are rocks with abysses, a crimson sky with a red glow. After the exciting landscape, we find ourselves in a small corner where people live happily, where they want to be born and die, it cannot be otherwise, so they think. Goncharov describes these residents: “Everything in the village is quiet and sleepy: the silent huts are wide open; not a soul in sight; Only flies fly in clouds and buzz in the stuffy atmosphere.” There we meet young Oblomov. As a child, Oblomov could not dress himself; servants always helped him. As an adult, he also resorts to their help. Ilyusha grows up in an atmosphere of love, peace and excessive care. Oblomovka is a corner where calm and undisturbed silence reigns. It's a dream within a dream. Everything around seems to have frozen, and nothing can wake up these people who live uselessly in a distant village without any connection with the rest of the world. Ilyusha grew up on fairy tales and legends that his nanny told him. Developing daydreaming, the fairy tale tied Ilyusha more to the house, causing inaction.

Oblomov’s dream describes the hero’s childhood and upbringing. All this helps to recognize Oblomov’s character. The life of the Oblomovs is passivity and apathy. Childhood is his ideal. There in Oblomovka, Ilyusha felt warm, reliable and very protected. This ideal doomed him to a further aimless existence.

The solution to the character of Ilya Ilyich in his childhood, from where direct threads stretch to the adult hero. The character of a hero is an objective result of the conditions of birth and upbringing.

Oblomov novel laziness character