Onegin's attitude towards others. Is Evgeny Onegin an extra person? Evgeny Onegin and Lensky

Before considering the images of the main characters, you need to understand that for Pushkin’s novel the main technique for creating them is typification. A literary type is not just an image of a hero, marked by a unique individuality, it embodies in a special way - through character traits, through the same individuality - traits inherent not only to the person himself, but also to a certain social group, the “generation” and representative of which he (in socio-psychological terms) is. This is exactly how the images of the heroes of the novel were created, and this is especially noticeable in the image of the main character - Eugene Onegin.

As a person, Onegin is very unusual, his individuality is undeniable, but... he is also very typical, it is no coincidence that one of the “insightful readers” about him - A. A. Bestuzhev - responded like this: “I see a person whom I meet thousands in reality ". A traditional upbringing for his circle, a traditional pastime, traditional interests, “longing laziness,” an appealing, demonstrative disregard for the interests of others - these are the main features that characterize not only Onegin, but also a significant part of the “young people” of that time, who later, after appearance of the novel, will be called “superfluous people.” However, can only Onegin be blamed for the fact that he is like that? Probably not, because every person, to a greater or lesser extent, bears the features of the environment to which he belongs, and Onegin. is no exception. Therefore, the social circle to which the hero belongs and the “laws of life” he brilliantly mastered and according to which for the time being calmly lives can also be considered “superfluous,” that is, not adapted to anything.

However, “Onegin’s Soul” is far from being as simple and unambiguous as one might judge from his behavior. The image of Eugene Onegin in the novel "Eugene Onegin" is very contradictory, internal conflict is obvious in him, and this is most fully manifested in his relationship with Tatyana. The Evgeny who “gives lessons” to Tatyana is not at all like Evgeny, the author of the letter to the woman he truly loves, who is now inaccessible to him - although she continues to love him... Let’s try to understand the reasons for the “transformation” of the main character, the story the revival of his soul is precisely “rebirth”, because love revives humanity even in the soul of the most seemingly inveterate egoist.

Once in the village, Onegin hoped that a “change of places” would help him get rid of boredom, and, in fact, “for two days” it seemed to him that this was so, but “on the third” day he became convinced “that there was boredom in the village too.” the same." This is natural, because the reasons for “boredom” are within himself; here, external factors mean little. The provincial nobility, primitive in terms of the level of spiritual life, could not arouse his interest, and his attempts to “establish a new order” led to the fact that “And everyone decided out loud that he is a most dangerous eccentric.” Only Lensky turned out to be not that close to Evgeniy, but “they got along,” and Pushkin caustically remarks that it was a friendship “there’s nothing to do.” Lensky's enthusiasm and Onegin's skepticism are indeed "ice and fire", but there are simply no other people around Eugene Onegin "worthy" of his attention... Perhaps the main thing that distinguishes the heroes is the ability to feel love and everything that associated with this feeling.

For Lensky, love is a feeling in which he plays according to the laws of romanticism, he creates for himself an invented, perfect image Olga, so far from reality that it becomes incomprehensible: is it really possible to be so... not understanding the most obvious things? However, the romantic poet plays at romance in life, he constructs it as if he were writing an “ode,” but he has to “read” this “ode-life” himself... Onegin understands people very accurately and deeply, he manages to penetrate the soul of everyone with whom fate brings him together, but his behavior, his attitude towards people can only cause condemnation. Understanding everything, he starts a game with Olga, thereby causing mental trauma to Lensky in love; Realizing the stupidity of the duel, he, thinking that he might be ridiculed, accepts Lensky’s challenge, indulging in these same morals that he so openly despises: “But the whisper, the laughter of fools...” - and this after quite strictly “reprimands” himself for his behavior: “but Eugene, Alone with his soul, was dissatisfied with himself”... And even when it was still possible to correct something, realizing that it would be best for them to “disperse amicably,” Onegin did not takes the first step towards Lensky, because “wildly secular enmity is afraid of false shame.” Therefore, when he writes in a letter to Tatyana “Lensky fell an unfortunate victim,” he, in all conscience, must clarify that Lensky became a victim of him, Eugene Onegin, false pride, his inability to rise above circumstances, and, by and large, his selfish attitude towards to others.

This same feeling prevents him from truly understanding Tatyana, having received her letter, “Onegin was deeply touched.” Having met her, he behaves as the hero of a “fashionable novel” should behave, internally enjoying the role of a “teacher,” but at the same time admiring himself and not wanting to understand how Tatyana, already discouraged by her “misconduct,” feels. The continuation of the “game” with the girl in love with him follows on the name day, where “somehow the gaze of his eyes Was wonderfully tender,” and “this gaze expressed tenderness: He revived Tanya’s heart.” However, the death of Lensky separates the heroes, whose next meeting took place when Tatyana was already a married lady, and it was this Tatyana who aroused a stormy feeling in the soul of Eugene Onegin, which he considers love. He pursues Tatyana, writes letters to her, reproaches her for not responding to his feelings, forgetting that in her current situation she, strictly speaking, cannot answer them except by violating her marital duty, that for Tatyana, with a “Russian soul,” this was unacceptable from the very beginning. Of course, Onegin is sincerely suffering, but does he have the moral right to write to her: “If only you knew how terrible it is to languish with a thirst for love...”? Who, if not her, should know this?..

The ending of that period of Eugene Onegin’s life, which Pushkin shows us in the novel, is a true collapse. Having realized what exactly he has lost in Tatyana, he finds himself faced with the need to erase her from his heart forever, and this now, when she has taken such a big place in him... What and why should he live next? What could this “hateful freedom” be, for fear of losing which he was once so blind and deaf? The hero cannot but arouse sympathy, and somehow it is not very reassuring that he, in general, deserved what fate gave him, deserved it with his indifference to himself and people, which in the end took revenge on him so cruelly.

There was a lot of debate about whether Eugene Onegin could be considered a person close to the Decembrists, but it seems that Pushkin himself did not set such a goal for himself, he did not strive to create the image of a Decembrist, he wrote a novel in which “the century was reflected and modern man is depicted quite right,” and you can’t argue with that: as a socio-psychological type, Onegin, of course, does not raise any doubts; he is more than convincing as a representative of his time and his social group.

A. S. Pushkin managed to overtake his era - he created an absolutely unique work, a novel in verse. The great Russian poet managed to present the image of Eugene Onegin in a very special way. The hero appears to the reader as complex and ambiguous. And its changes are manifested throughout the work in dynamics.

Onegin - representative of high society

The description of Onegin’s character in the novel “Eugene Onegin” can begin with the characteristics that A. S. Pushkin gives to his hero. These are the following “facts”: firstly, Onegin is an aristocrat from St. Petersburg. As for his attitude towards the people around him and life philosophy, then the poet describes him as “an egoist and a rake.” Such education was cultivated among the nobility of that time. Children of high-ranking persons were placed in the care of foreign educators. And by the beginning of their youth, their tutors taught them basic skills, the presence of which can be traced in the main character Pushkin's work. Onegin owned foreign language(“and in French perfectly…”), knew how to dance (“he danced the mazurka easily”), and also had well-developed etiquette skills (“and bowed at ease”).

Surface formation

At the beginning of the work, Onegin is described through the author's narration. Pushkin writes about the mental illness that befell his hero. Describing the character of Onegin in the novel “Eugene Onegin,” we can emphasize: the root cause of this “blueness” may well be the conflict that characterized Onegin’s relationship with society. After all, on the one hand, main character obeyed the rules established in noble society; on the other hand, he internally rebelled against them. It should be noted that although Onegin was well-mannered, this education was not particularly deep. “So that the child would not be exhausted, a tutor from France taught him everything in jest.” In addition, Onegin can also be called a seducer. After all, he knew how to “appear new, jokingly amaze innocence.”

Main features at the beginning of the work

Onegin is a very controversial person. On the one hand, his unsightly character traits are selfishness and cruelty. But on the other hand, Onegin is endowed with a subtle mental organization, he is very vulnerable, and has a spirit striving for true freedom. It is these qualities that are most attractive in Onegin. They make him another “hero of our time.” The introduction to the main character occurs in the first chapter, during his irritated and bilious monologue. The reader sees a “young rake” who sees no value or meaning in anything and is indifferent to everything in the world. Onegin is ironic about his uncle’s illness - after all, it tore him away from social life, but for the sake of money he is able to endure “sighs, boredom and deception” for some time.

Life of Onegin

Such education was typical of the representatives of his circle. The character of Onegin in the novel "Eugene Onegin" at first glance may seem frivolous. Onegin could easily quote several poems or Latin phrases in a conversation, and his daily life took place in a completely monotonous environment - balls, dinners, visits to theaters. The poet presents the life of the main character of the work through a description of the office of Onegin, whom he calls “a philosopher at eighteen years old.” On the table next to the main character, Byron, there is a column with a doll, as well as a large number of various toiletries. All this is a tribute to fashion, hobbies, aristocratic habits.

But most of all, the soul of the protagonist is occupied by the “science of tender passion,” which can also be mentioned in the description of Onegin’s character in the novel “Eugene Onegin.” However, after meeting his main character, Pushkin warns readers that they should not succumb to the temptation to perceive Onegin as a “dummy” - he is not like that at all. All the secular surroundings and the usual way of life do not arouse any enthusiasm in the main character. Onegin got bored with this world.

Blues

The life of the main character was completely calm and cloudless. His empty existence was filled with entertainment and worries about his own appearance. The main character is overcome by the “English spleen,” or Russian blues. Onegin's heart was empty, and his mind found no use. It wasn’t just his literary work that made him sick of it. The main character takes up the book, but reading does not give him any pleasure. After all, Onegin has become disillusioned with life, and he is unable to believe the book. The main character calls the apathy that has taken hold of him “disappointment,” willingly covering himself with the image of Childe Harold.

However, the main character does not want and does not know how to really work. At first, he tries himself as a writer - however, he does this work “yawning”, and soon puts it aside. And such boredom pushes Onegin to travel.

Onegin in the village

In the village, the main character again managed to “perk up his spirit.” He is happy to observe the beauty of nature, and even makes attempts to make life easier for the serfs by replacing the heavy corvee with a “light tax.” However, Onegin is again overtaken by his tormentor - boredom. And he discovers that in the village he experiences the same feelings as in the aristocratic capital. Onegin wakes up early, swims in the river, but still he gets bored with this life.

Turning acquaintance

However, the scenery changes after the main character meets Lensky, and then the Larin sisters, who live next door. Close interests and good upbringing allow Onegin to become close to Lensky. The main character pays attention to his older sister, Tatyana. And in her sister, Olga (who was Lensky’s beloved), Onegin sees only “the lifelessness of features and soul.” Tatyana's character traits in the novel "Eugene Onegin" contrast her with the main character. She's close to folk life, despite the fact that he speaks Russian poorly.

Her best traits were nurtured by her nanny, who conveyed to Tatyana the concept of moral duty, as well as the basics of the people's worldview. The integrity of Tatyana's character in the novel "Eugene Onegin" is manifested in the courage with which she makes a confession to her lover, as well as in the nobility of her intentions and fidelity to her marital vow. Onegin's rebuke makes her more mature. The heroine changes in appearance, but retains best qualities character.

As for the character of Olga in the novel "Eugene Onegin", the poet assigns this heroine minor role. She is pretty, but Onegin immediately sees her spiritual emptiness. And this character very quickly causes rejection among the impressionable reader. In the image of Olga, the great Russian poet expresses his attitude towards the flighty girls of his era. He says about their portrait: “I used to love him myself, but he tired me immensely.”

The character of Lensky in the novel "Eugene Onegin"

Lensky appears before the reader in the image of a freedom-loving thinker who was educated at one of the European universities. His poetry is covered in the spirit of romanticism. However, Pushkin hastens to warn the reader that in reality Lensky remains an ignoramus, an ordinary Russian landowner. Although he is cute, he is not very sophisticated.

Hero's integrity

Onegin rejects Tatiana's feelings. He responds to all her love confessions with a rude rebuke. At this moment in time, Onegin does not need the sincerity and purity of the feelings of the village girl. However, Pushkin justifies his hero. Onegin was distinguished by decency and honesty. He did not allow himself to mock another person’s feelings, his naivety and purity. In addition, the reason for Larina’s refusal was the coldness of Onegin himself.

Duel with Lensky

The next turning point in revealing Onegin's character is his duel with Lensky. But in this case, Onegin does not demonstrate nobility, preferring not to refuse the fight, the outcome of which was predetermined. The opinion of society, as well as the perversity of the values ​​that existed in that environment, hung over Onegin’s decision like a sword of Damocles. And the main character does not open his heart to the feeling of true friendship. Lensky dies, and Onegin regards this as his own crime. And the senseless death of a friend awakens the “sleep of the soul” of the main character. The character of Eugene Onegin in the novel “Eugene Onegin” changes: he understands how lonely he is, and his attitude towards the world takes on different shades.

Repeated meeting with Tatyana

Returning to the capital, at one of the balls the main character again meets “that same Tatyana.” And his charm knows no bounds. She married woman- but only now Onegin is able to see the kinship of their souls. In his love for Tatyana, he sees the possibility of his spiritual resurrection. In addition, Onegin learns that her love for him is also still alive. However for main character The thought of possible betrayal of her lawful husband turns out to be completely unacceptable.

A duel takes place in her soul between feelings and duty, and it is resolved not in favor of love passions. Tatiana leaves Onegin alone on her knees. And the poet himself also leaves his hero during this scene. How his life will end remains unknown. Research by literary scholars and historians shows that the poet planned to “send” Onegin to the Caucasus, or turn him into a Decembrist. However, this remained a secret, which was burned along with the final chapter of the work.

The author of the novel and its main character

The versatility of the characters in the novel “Eugene Onegin” is revealed in the process of the plot development of the poem. Describing the events that took place in the work after Onegin’s duel with Lensky, Pushkin includes in the text a small mention of a young townswoman. She asks what happened to Olga, where is her sister now, and what about Onegin - where is “this gloomy eccentric”? And the author of the work promises to talk about it, but not now. Pushkin specifically creates the illusion of authorial freedom.

This technique can be seen as the intention of a talented storyteller who conducts a casual conversation with his readers. On the other hand, Pushkin can be characterized as a real master who perfectly masters the chosen manner of presenting the work. The author of the work acts as one of the characters in the novel only in relation to Onegin himself. And this indication of personal contacts will distinguish the main character from other characters. Pushkin mentions a “meeting” with Onegin in the capital, describes the first embarrassment that gripped him during this meeting. This was the main character’s manner of communication - caustic jokes, bile, “the anger of gloomy epigrams.” Pushkin also informs the reader about his general plans to see “foreign countries” with his main character.

Why is Evgeny Onegin called " extra person"?

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“Eugene Onegin” is the first Russian realistic socio-psychological novel, the central work of Pushkin, written by him in 1830. In the novel in verse “Eugene Onegin” by A.S. Pushkin, a new type of hero, not previously encountered in Russian literature, is revealed - the “extra person”. In this work, his role is played by the title character. Characteristics this personality: the meaninglessness and purposelessness of existence, lack of understanding of one’s place and role in life, disappointment, boredom, melancholy, “sharp, chilled mind”, judgments and interests that differ from generally accepted ones. In order to make sure that Onegin was a “superfluous person” , let's look at his biography. Eugene is a representative of the nobility, which was very important for the “superfluous person,” since the peasant could not belong to this type. Only a representative of the nobility can lead a lifestyle similar to a “superfluous man”: the nobles lived off the labor of others, did not know how to work, were smart and educated, unlike the peasants. It was from Eugene’s great mind that he realized his meaningless existence, which led the hero to suffering. Onegin is a secular man, not burdened with service. The young man leads a vain, carefree life full of entertainment, but he is not satisfied with the pastime that quite suits the people of his circle. Onegin was smarter than them, he thought and felt subtly, so he was worried and tormented by his aimless life, he did not want to devote it only to entertainment, like they did. Since Eugene was a nobleman, he was used to living on everything ready-made. Onegin was not accustomed to anything persistent and long-term; he was bored with monotonous work. Any systematic activity leads to disappointment. His upbringing did not teach him to work hard, he was bored with everything, and this led to thoughts about the worthlessness of his life, disappointment in it, boredom and sadness:

In short: Russian blues
I mastered it little by little;
He will shoot himself, thank God,
I didn't want to try
But I lost interest in life completely

Onegin tried to occupy himself with creativity, began to read books, but even here his efforts were in vain:
I read and read, but to no avail:
There is boredom, there is deception and delirium;
There is no conscience in that, there is no meaning in that

The hero is forced to leave St. Petersburg and move to the village. This circumstance gives rise to hope in his destiny for better life. Arriving in the village, Evgeniy tried to take up farming and eased the situation of the peasants on his estate: “he replaced the ancient corvée with a light quitrent.” But this does not occupy him for long.

The “superfluous person” perceives relationships with other people as something boring. The peculiarity of such a person is the inability to establish long-term relationships, because they bore him just like any other activity. He does not want to communicate with neighbors who can only talk “about haymaking and wine, about the kennel and their relatives.” Onegin prefers loneliness. For this, Evgeniy receives an unflattering description from the landowners: “Our neighbor is ignorant; crazy; he is a farmazon...”

Evgeniy’s friendship with Lensky also ends tragically. Only with Vladimir Lensky One

About nine years, almost half of my life creative life, Pushkin devoted to the creation of the novel, putting into it the fruits of “a mind of cold observations and a heart of sorrowful notes.”

With all the breadth of themes of the novel "Eugene Onegin" it is, first of all, a novel about the mental life and quests of the Russian noble intelligentsia of the 20s of the 19th century. Pushkin turned to creating the image of his contemporary in his early romantic works, for example, in " Caucasian prisoner"However, the hero of this work did not satisfy the author, since he turned out to be romantic. The circumstances in which he acted were hothouse, his past remained vague, the reasons for disappointment were unclear. Therefore, Pushkin returned to the idea of ​​​​creating a typical image of a contemporary in his main work - the novel "Eugene Onegin".

Now we also have a disappointed hero, and in this we can see a connection with romantic poems, however, he is depicted in a completely different way: his upbringing, education, and the environment in which he was born and lives is described in detail. The poet not only indicates obvious signs of his disappointment, but sets out to explain the reasons that gave rise to it.

The concept of “an extra person” appeared in 1850, when I. S. Turgenev’s “Diary of an Extra Man” was published. However, in Pushkin’s drafts there is a remark that Onegin at a social event “stands like something superfluous,” and it was Pushkin who for the first time in Russian literature creates the image of a “superfluous person.”

Onegin "secular Petersburg young man", metropolitan aristocrat; “Having fun and luxury as a child,” he received a home education and upbringing, typical for aristocratic youth of that time, under the guidance of a French tutor, who, “so as not to exhaust the child, taught him everything jokingly, did not bother him with strict morals...”

Onegin leads a life typical of the “golden youth” of that time: balls, restaurants, walks along Nevsky Prospect, visiting theaters. It took him eight years. But Onegin stands out from total mass aristocratic youth. Pushkin notes his “involuntary devotion to dreams, inimitable strangeness and a sharp, chilled mind,” a sense of honor, and nobility of soul. This could not but lead Onegin to disappointment in life, in secular society.

Blues and boredom took possession of Onegin. Having moved away from the “empty light”, he tries to engage in some useful activity. Nothing came of trying to write. Evgeny did not have a calling: “yawning, he took up his pen,” and he had no habit of work: “he was sick of persistent work.” An attempt to combat “spiritual emptiness” through reading also proved unsuccessful. The books he read either did not satisfy him or turned out to be in tune with his thoughts and feelings and only strengthened them.

And now Onegin is trying to organize the life of the peasants on the estate, which he inherited from his uncle:

He is the yoke of the ancient corvée
I replaced it with a light quitrent...

However, all his activities as a landowner-owner were limited to this reform. The old moods, although somewhat softened by life in the lap of nature, continue to possess him. Everywhere he feels like a stranger and superfluous: both in high society and in provincial drawing rooms. It was hard and unbearable for him to see before him

There's a long row of dinners alone,
See life as a ritual
And after the decorous crowd
Go without sharing with her
No common opinions, no passions.

Onegin's extraordinary mind, his freedom-loving sentiments and critical attitude to reality placed him high above the "secular rabble", especially among the local nobility, thereby dooming him to complete loneliness. Having broken with secular society, in which he found neither high interests nor real feelings, but only a parody of them, Onegin loses touch with people.

Even such strong feelings as love and friendship could not save Onegin from “spiritual emptiness.” He rejected Tatyana’s love, since he valued “freedom and peace” above all else, and failed to discern the full depth of her soul and her feelings. Fed up with the love of society ladies, Onegin became disillusioned with this feeling. His attitude towards love is rational and feigned. It is designed in the spirit of acquired secular “truths,” the main goal of which is to charm and seduce, to appear in love.

How early could he be a hypocrite?
To harbor hope, to be jealous,
To dissuade, to make believe,
Seem gloomy, languish.

And finally, Onegin’s friendship with Lensky ended tragically. No matter how Onegin’s noble mind protested against the duel, social conventions shaped by the light still prevailed. Onegin killed his friend Lensky because he could not rise above the public opinion of him landed nobility, which he inwardly despised. He was afraid of the “whispers, the laughter of fools,” the gossip of the Zaretskys, Petushkovs, and Skotinins.

And here is public opinion,
Spring of honor, our idol.
And this is what the world revolves on! ė

exclaims Pushkin. The outcome of Onegin’s life is bleak:

Having lived without a goal, without work
Until twenty-six years old,
Languishing in idle leisure
Without work, without wife, without business,
I couldn't do anything...

V. G. Belinsky called Onegin a “reluctant egoist,” a “suffering egoist,” because society made him such a “strong, remarkable nature.” “Evil is hidden not in man, but in society,” the critic wrote. Onegin's skepticism and disappointment are a reflection of the general “illness of modern Russians,” which gripped a significant part of the noble intelligentsia at the beginning of the century. Pushkin condemns not so much the hero as the secular environment that shaped him as a person.

It is obvious that the Onegins are doomed to inaction. The transformation of Onegin into a “superfluous man” was certainly inevitable at that time. He belonged to that enlightened part of the noble intelligentsia who avoided serving tsarism, did not want to be in the ranks of the silent ones, but also stood aloof from social activities. Pushkin’s undoubted merit is that in his novel he showed the tragedy of “superfluous people” and the reasons for their appearance among the noble intelligentsia of the 20s of the 19th century.

The novel in verse by A. S. Pushkin is full of a wide variety of images. Each hero of Eugene Onegin has his own unique inner world, his own view of the things around him, his own path to the spiritual calm of the soul.

The main character of the novel is brilliant socialite Evgeny Onegin. The young man had the opportunity to get a good education, but having initially set false life priorities for himself, he studied only what he needed: he remained indifferent to history, read poetry superficially - only in order to shine, if possible, in high society.

Eugene is only interested in the works of Adam Smith; he compares himself with the heroes of his work - enlightened Europeans leading an idle lifestyle. He tries to adjust his life to literary works, putting on the mask of a secular rake.

Unfortunately, this was only a role that Onegin skillfully knew how to play, without even realizing it to himself. Getting into secular society and considering himself part of it, Eugene comes into violent conflict with him.

Onegin's perception of the world around him

Onegin is accustomed to perceiving the world around him as his favorite European writers describe it, but St. Petersburg reality turns out to be far from the literary ideal.

His friendship with Lensky also speaks about the subtle spiritual structure of Onegin. Onegin admires Lensky’s ability to feel the world around him and embody his feelings in poetry. Challenging his friend to a duel, Onegin continues to play literary hero, because that’s exactly what they would do in his situation.

However, he forgets that he is in real world that his or his friend's death will be real. Eugene will come to understand this much later. He even perceives the image of Tatyana as the image of a heroine from a book, which is absolutely unsuitable for his hero.

After all, Olga is a more suitable candidate for the role of the Lady of the Heart in his novel. This is what it's all about tragic fate the hero Onegin and his main contradictions with the world that existed here and now, and did not fly in a ghostly literary scenario.

The tragedy of Onegin

At the end of the novel we do not recognize Eugene. Only a few years later the full depth of his own self-deception was revealed to him. Onegin understands that he made a mistake in his youth, when he chose the wrong life priorities, when he did not recognize the real, faithful, sincerely loving people who met on his life path, and which he rejected due to his illusory, ghostly perception of the world.

From the very beginning, Eugene’s soul strived for development and spiritual search, but the methods chosen for this only led him to suffering and internal self-destruction.

The last conversation with Tatyana showed Evgeniy the irreversibility of his tragedy. After all, you can’t start again with her love relationship Moreover, it is impossible to return Lensky, a true friend who died at his hand.

A.S. Pushkin in all the tragedies of Onegin makes him and society guilty, which very often then supported the methods of youthful formation of consciousness, which was characteristic of Onegin. However, the ending of the novel is open. And who knows, maybe, having finally understood himself well, Evgeniy will find a new true love and true friends.