What is Stolz doing to save Oblomov? The relationship between Oblomov and Stolz is the leading storyline in Goncharov’s novel
The heroes of the novel by I.A. Goncharova "Oblomov" - Ilya Ilyich and Stolz - have different characters and aspirations in life. However, their friendship is strong: at the beginning of the novel, Ilya Ilyich is looking forward to Stolz’s arrival, and Andrei himself, throughout the entire novel, tries to return his friend to an active life. So why couldn’t Stolz convince Oblomov to change his usual way of life?
One of the factors that influenced the development of Oblomov’s personality was his family. The chapter of the novel “Oblomov’s Dream” traces the impact on the character of Ilya Ilyich’s lordly upbringing, life and morals. As a child, he was protected from responsibilities and work in every possible way and was pampered. The Oblomov family cared only about delicious dinners and devoted little time to solving household issues and work.
“Perhaps his childish mind decided long ago that he should live this way and not otherwise, as the adults around him live,” writes I.A. Goncharov. Stolz, unlike Oblomov, was raised by a strict father and from childhood showed active qualities of character and a desire to study. Thus, upbringing played an important role in Ilya Ilyich’s reluctance to change.
But main character He was not an apathetic person without aspirations and feelings. On the contrary, he was a seeking person with deep thoughts and his own experiences. Oblomov sincerely considered the official Sudbinsky, the socialite Volkov and the writer Penkin to be a parody of active and happy people. In his monologue, the hero asks: “And this is life! Where is man here? What does he fragment and crumble into?” These thoughts allow us to consider Oblomov a person with extraordinary spiritual needs and requirements. After all, Ilya Ilyich acquired indifference to life precisely after the first day of work as an official. Vanity, the unrestrained pursuit of imaginary values are alien to the internal ideas of the protagonist. However, he is unable to get out of his usual way of life, and rejects Stolz’s offer to go on a trip because he does not see the point in it. The period of active lifestyle, which he adopts after falling in love with Olga Ilyinskaya, experimentally showed the failure of Stolz’s plan to “save” the protagonist.
Thus, Andrei Stolts could not help Ilya Oblomov due to the differences in their views on the world, which stem from the upbringing and attitude of the heroes. No matter how much Stolz wanted to help the main character and no matter how much effort he made to do this, he still would not have been able to. After all, Oblomov is, as it were, squeezed out of the social life of his era; he does not understand active people and does not see the meaning in work. However, this is a hero capable of sincere love and deep empathy. Stolz himself, at the end of the work, speaks of Oblomov’s “honest, faithful heart,” which he “carried unharmed through life,” and of his “crystal, transparent soul,” which distinguished him from the rest.
Updated: 2018-07-09
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Roman I.A. Goncharov's "Oblomov" permeates the pathos of social criticism. The collision of two heroes (Ilya Oblomov and Andrei Stolts), two opposing lifestyles can be viewed in a broad social sense.
Oblomov in this regard symbolizes the inert feudal lordship that has flourished everywhere in the vastness of the Russian land. He spends most of his time on the couch. Any work does not attract him: he cannot even finish reading a book he has started for years. The author constantly emphasizes the gentleness both in the character of the hero and in
Everything that surrounds him.
The image of the sleeping Oblomov symbolizes the ruined mind, inertia and inertia of the Russian nobility. The hero harbors some abstract plans for reform, but with his immaturity, these plans are never destined to come true. Oblomov seems to be “quietly and gradually settling into the coffin of the rest of his existence, made with his own hands, like desert elders who, turning away from life, dig their own grave.”
Andrei Stolz (this is evidenced by the German origin of the hero) is an adherent of the active capitalist mentality that came to us from Europe. An active, economic rationalist breaks into the sluggish life of Oblomovka in order to shake up the existing way of life and revive Ilya Ilyich to a different existence. It is no coincidence that Stolz reminds Oblomov of his youthful dreams of going on a trip.
Andrey introduces Ilya Ilyich to Olga, hoping that love can change a friend. At some point, the heroine was able to awaken sparks of living life in her admirer. However, Oblomov and Olga are different people. And the heroine soon realized this. She exclaims: “I loved the future Oblomov! You are meek and honest, Ilya; you are gentle... like a dove; you hide your head under your wing - and don’t want anything more; you’re ready to coo under the roof all your life... but I’m not like that: this is not enough for me, I need something else, but I don’t know what!”
In the end, Olga chooses Stolz. This indicates that the future belongs to such active and enterprising people. “He was all made up of bones, muscles and nerves, like a blooded English horse,” writes I.A. Goncharov. Stolz's ideal is material wealth, comfort and well-being, which he achieves through his own labor: the hero lives by reason, and his inert friend lives by feelings and dreams.
Oblomov sees wonderful dreams, but this makes him real life nothing changes. Looking at this, Stolz derives his own term denoting landowner idleness and inertia, leading to death - “Oblomovism.”
Why didn’t A. Stolz manage to change Oblomov’s lifestyle? The fact is that Ilya Ilyich is not just afraid of change: he has also protected himself from a living and diverse world life philosophy to justify your inaction and laziness. Oblomov is soaring in the clouds of his own illusions, claiming that he has no empty desires and thoughts. He despises vanity and is proud that he can afford not to engage in trade, not to go to the office with a report or papers - to be above all the base problems of everyday life. Oblomov is satisfied with himself, so he does not strive to change. The hero refuses to grow up and understand that no miracle that suddenly descends on him will solve all the pressing problems either in the household or in his personal life.
However, gradually a belated insight still comes to Ilya Ilyich. He confesses to Stolz: “From the first minute, when I became conscious of myself, I felt that I was already fading away... Either I didn’t understand this life, or it’s no good, and I didn’t know anything better, I didn’t see anything, no one showed it to me.” ..." Although Oblomov has not changed, he at least belatedly admitted his mistakes. The trouble is that he did not see a life ideal in front of him, and due to the nature of his soul, he could not become like Stolz.
Oblomov and Stolz
Stolz is the antipode of Oblomov (The principle of antithesis)
The entire figurative system of I. A. Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” is aimed at revealing the character and essence of the main character. Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is a bored gentleman lying on the sofa, dreaming of transformations and happy life surrounded by family, but doing nothing to make dreams come true. The antipode of Oblomov in the novel is the image of Stolz. Andrei Ivanovich Stolts is one of the main characters, a friend of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, the son of Ivan Bogdanovich Stolts, a Russified German who manages an estate in the village of Verkhlev, which is five miles from Oblomovka. In the first two chapters of the second part there is detailed story about the life of Stolz, about the conditions in which his active character was formed.
1. General features:
a) age (“Stolz is the same age as Oblomov and is already over thirty”);
b) religion;
c) training at the boarding house of Ivan Stolz in Verchlöw;
d) service and quick retirement;
e) love for Olga Ilyinskaya;
f) kind attitude towards each other.
2. Various features:
A ) portrait;
Oblomov . “He was a man about thirty-two or three years old, of average height, pleasant appearance, with dark gray eyes, but with absence of any definite idea, any concentration in facial features.”
«… flabby beyond his years: from lack of movement or air. In general, his body, judging by its matte finish, too white neck, small plump arms, soft shoulders, seemed too effeminate for a man. His movements, even when he was alarmed, were also restrained softness and not devoid of a kind of graceful laziness.”
Stolz- the same age as Oblomov, he is already over thirty. The portrait of Sh. contrasts with the portrait of Oblomov: “He is all made up of bones, muscles and nerves, like a blooded English horse. He is thin, he has almost no cheeks at all, that is, bone and muscle, but no sign of fatty roundness ... "
Getting to know portrait characteristic this hero, we understand that Stolz is a strong, energetic, purposeful person who is alien to daydreaming. But this almost ideal personality resembles a mechanism, not a living person, and this repels the reader.
b) parents, family;
Oblomov's parents are Russian; he grew up in a patriarchal family.
Stolz comes from the philistine class (his father left Germany, wandered around Switzerland and settled in Russia, becoming the manager of an estate). “Stolz was only half German, on his father’s side; his mother was Russian; He professed the Orthodox faith, his native speech was Russian...” The mother was afraid that Stolz, under the influence of his father, would become a rude burgher, but Stolz’s Russian entourage prevented him.
c) education;
Oblomov moved “from hugs to hugs of family and friends,” his upbringing was patriarchal in nature.
Ivan Bogdanovich raised his son strictly: “From the age of eight he sat with his father for geographical map, sorted through the warehouses of Herder, Wieland, biblical verses and summed up the illiterate accounts of the peasants, townspeople and factory workers, and with his mother he read sacred history, learned Krylov’s fables and sorted through the warehouses of Telemachus.”
When Stolz grew up, his father began to take him to the field, to the market, and forced him to work. Then Stolz began sending his son to the city on errands, “and it never happened that he forgot something, changed it, overlooked it, or made a mistake.”
Upbringing, like education, was dual: dreaming that his son would grow up to be a “good bursh,” the father in every possible way encouraged boyish fights, without which the son could not do a day. If Andrei appeared without a lesson prepared “by heart,” Ivan Bogdanovich sent his son back to where he came from - and every time young Stlts returned with the lessons he had learned.
From his father he received a “labor, practical upbringing,” and his mother introduced him to beauty and tried to put it into his soul little Andrey love of art and beauty. His mother “seemed the ideal of a gentleman in her son,” and his father accustomed him to hard, not at all lordly, work.
d) attitude towards studying at a boarding house;
Oblomov studied “out of necessity”, “serious reading tired him”, “but the poets touched... a nerve”
Stolz always studied well and was interested in everything. And he was a tutor at his father's boarding school
e) further education;
Oblomov lived in Oblomovka until he was twenty, then graduated from the university.
Stolz graduated from the university with flying colors. Parting with his father, who was sending him from Verkhlev to St. Petersburg, Stolz. says that he will certainly follow his father’s advice and go to Ivan Bogdanovich’s old friend Reingold - but only when he, Stolz, has a four-story house, like Reingold. Such independence and independence, as well as self-confidence. - the basis of the character and worldview of the younger Stolz, which his father so ardently supports and which Oblomov so lacks.
f) lifestyle;
“Ilya Ilyich’s lying down was his normal state.”
Stolz has a thirst for activity
g) housekeeping;
Oblomov did not do business in the village, received little income and lived on credit.
Stolz serves successfully, resigns to do his own business; makes a house and money. He is a member of a trading company that ships goods abroad; as an agent of the company, Sh. travels to Belgium, England, and throughout Russia.
h) life aspirations;
Oblomov in his youth “prepared for the field,” thought about his role in society, about family happiness, then he excluded from his dreams social activities, his ideal was a carefree life in unity with nature, family, and friends.
Stolz chose an active beginning in his youth... Stolz’s ideal of life is continuous and meaningful work, this is “the image, content, element and purpose of life.”
i) views on society;
Oblomov believes that all members of the world and society are “dead men, sleeping people”, they are characterized by insincerity, envy, the desire to “get a high-profile rank” by any means, he is not a supporter of progressive forms of farming.
According to Stolz, with the help of the establishment of “schools”, “piers”, “fairs”, “highways”, the old, patriarchal “detritus” should be turned into comfortable estates that generate income.
j) attitude towards Olga;
Oblomov wanted to see a loving woman capable of creating a serene family life.
Stolz marries Olga Ilyinskaya, and Goncharov tries in their active alliance, full of work and beauty, to imagine an ideal family, a true ideal, which fails in Oblomov’s life: “we worked together, had lunch, went to the fields, played music< …>just as Oblomov dreamed... Only there was no drowsiness, no despondency, they spent their days without boredom and without apathy; there was no sluggish look, no words; their conversation never ended, it was often heated.”
k) relationship and mutual influence;
Oblomov considered Stoltz his only friend, capable of understanding and helping, he listened to his advice, but Stoltz failed to break Oblomovism.
Stolz highly appreciated the kindness and sincerity of the soul of his friend Oblomov. Stolz does everything to awaken Oblomov to activity. In friendship with Oblomov Stolz. also rose to the occasion: he replaced the rogue manager, destroyed the machinations of Tarantiev and Mukhoyarov, who deceived Oblomov into signing a false loan letter.
Oblomov is accustomed to living according to Stolz’s orders; in the smallest matters, he needs the advice of a friend. Without Stoltz, Ilya Ilyich cannot decide on anything, however, Oblomov is in no hurry to follow Stoltz’s advice: their concepts of life, work, and application of strength are too different.
After the death of Ilya Ilyich, a friend takes in Oblomov’s son, Andryusha, named after him.
m) self-esteem ;
Oblomov constantly doubted himself. Stolz never doubts himself.
m) character traits ;
Oblomov is inactive, dreamy, sloppy, indecisive, soft, lazy, apathetic, and not devoid of subtle emotional experiences.
Stolz is active, sharp, practical, neat, loves comfort, is open in spiritual manifestations, reason prevails over feeling. Stolz could control his feelings and was “afraid of every dream.” Happiness for him lay in consistency. According to Goncharov, he “knew the value of rare and expensive properties and spent them so sparingly that he was called an egoist, insensitive...”.
The meaning of the images of Oblomov and Stolz.
Goncharov reflected in Oblomov the typical features of the patriarchal nobility. Oblomov absorbed the contradictory features of the Russian national character.
Stolz in Goncharov’s novel was given the role of a person capable of breaking Oblomovism and reviving the hero. According to critics, the unclear idea of Goncharov about the role of “new people” in society led to the unconvincing image of Stolz. According to Goncharov, Stolz is a new type of Russian progressive figure. However, he does not depict the hero in a specific activity. The author only informs the reader about what Stolz has been and what he has achieved. By showing Stolz's Parisian life with Olga, Goncharov wants to reveal the breadth of his views, but in fact reduces the hero
So, the image of Stolz in the novel not only clarifies the image of Oblomov, but is also interesting to readers for its originality and complete opposite to the main character. Dobrolyubov says about him: “He is not the person who will be able to tell us in a language understandable to the Russian soul this almighty word “forward!” Dobrolyubov, like all revolutionary democrats, saw the ideal of a “man of action” in serving the people, in the revolutionary struggle. Stolz is far from this ideal. However, next to Oblomov and Oblomovism, Stolz was still a progressive phenomenon.
The heroes became friends in childhood, when Ilya’s parents were forced to send their son to study at the boarding school of the German Stolz. The teacher's son, Andrei, always looked after his friend and tried to influence his beliefs and his way of life. He helped Oblomov during his studies both at the boarding school and at the university, but after their paths went separately, they rarely met.
One day Andrei came to a friend’s rented apartment in St. Petersburg. They talked about life, about Oblomovka, and Andrei reproached his friend for inaction, told him about the need to change his life, to take care of business on the estate. Then Stolz invited Oblomov to “complete the ideal of life...”. Ilya Ilyich dreams out loud, talking about a pleasant pastime, which is an idyll of idleness. He never mentioned any activity, since work was not part of his plans. Even the wife should read a book out loud when he is relaxing on the sofa.
The lordly habits appear in everything in his dreams: all his desires are served by serfs, about whose work he has unrealistic ideas, drawing the idyll of their labor. During the day, Oblomov’s routine included a large place in eating; Ilya Ilyich had meals six times: in the house, on the veranda, in the birch grove, in the meadow, and again in the house in the evening. No activities except contemplation of nature, conversations on pleasant topics or relaxation while listening to music. And then Andrei began to convince Ilya to change the painted picture in order to return to an active life, not to fade away in his young years.
Until the next meeting, two years later, some changes took place. Stolz is still very active, he came to St. Petersburg “for two weeks on business, then went to the village, then to Kyiv...” He stopped by a friend’s name day, on Elijah’s day. At this time, Ilya Ilyich was already living in the apartment of the widow Agafya Pshenitsyna. He broke up with Olga, entrusted the affairs of the estate to Zaterty (a friend of the mistress’s brother), and now he is being robbed by fraudulent means by Tarantyev and his friend.
Stolz is upset by his friend’s affairs, reminds Oblomov of his words spoken in their last conversation, “Now or never!” Oblomov sadly admits that he did not succeed in reviving life, although there were attempts: “... I do not lie idly, ... I subscribe to two magazines and books...”. However, he broke up with the woman he loved because his laziness and inaction did not disappear even in the best time of his life, during the period of love. Stolz summarizes: “Please note that life and work itself is the goal of life...”. He calls on Ilya Ilyich to action for his own sake, so as not to perish completely: to go to the village, arrange everything there, “tinker with the peasants, get involved in their affairs, build, plant...”. Oblomov complains about his health, but Andrei tells him about the need to change his lifestyle, “so as not to die completely, not to be buried alive...”.
Stolz learns that Oblomov is being robbed by people who call themselves his friends. Andrei forced Oblomov to sign a power of attorney to manage the estate in his name and “announced to him that he was renting Oblomovka” temporarily, and then Oblomov “himself would come to the village and get used to the farm.”
There is a conversation between friends again about their attitude to life. Oblomov complains about life, which “touches him, there is no peace!” And Stolz urges him not to extinguish this fire of life, so that it is “constantly burning.” Ilya Ilyich objects to these words, saying that he does not have the same abilities and talents as Stolz, who is endowed with “wings.” Andrey has to remind his friend that he “lost his skills as a child”: “It started with the inability to put on stockings and ended with the inability to live.”
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As children, they lived almost nearby - in neighboring villages - then, as teenagers, They studied at a boarding school for noble children. Throughout their lives, fate brought these people together again and again. Who are we talking about, you ask? Of course, about Ilya Oblomov and Andrei Stolts from Ivan Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” and their unusual friendship.
To understand the essence of the relationship between these diametrically opposed friends, you need to trace their lives throughout the work.
Oblomov’s image: deep in thought
In order to understand how opposite in character Andrei Stolts and Ilya Oblomov were, it is necessary to first follow the character of the first hero, whose surname is named throughout the novel. Ilya Ilyich appears to readers as a sloppy and extremely lazy middle-aged man. His favorite place is the sofa, and his favorite clothing is a dressing gown, which “had in Oblomov’s eyes a darkness of invaluable merits: he is soft, flexible; the body does not feel it on itself; he, like an obedient slave, submits to the slightest movement of the body..."
The careless decoration of the room, where order seemed to be maintained, but a closer look revealed a lot of external flaws, further emphasized the infantilism of the hero. He had neither a specific goal in life nor any clear plans, looking at his surroundings absent-mindedly and thoughtfully.
Active and purposeful Stolz
Andrei Stolts was completely different. With youthful fervor, even in his youth, he explained lessons to a slow and dreamy friend, and tried to help so that Ilya could find himself in life. But his aspirations were not justified, because 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. His life was on its own, and his science was on its own.”
Little Andryusha has been curious and very active since childhood. Any of his antics, even to the point that the boy could leave for several days without causing concern to his father, were perceived by his parents without any panic. Without preventing his son from freely exploring the world around him, dad contributed to the development of a holistic, completely independent personality. Andrey Stolts amazing person, to whom you feel sympathy from the very first lines. The hero of the novel loving life and looking forward to the future. This is how he is depicted on the pages of the work.
The reason for the friendship between Oblomov and Stolz
A reader delving into the images of such absolutely opposite personalities may have a fair question: how could they be friends? But perhaps some will be surprised to learn that at first Andrei and Ilya were similar in character. But it was their upbringing, the environment in which the young friends lived, that made them as different as the South and the North. However, close comrades cope well with their differences and complement each other perfectly.
These two people, different in temperament, were able to appreciate each other. Stolz sees his beautiful soul in Oblomov, and he, in turn, notices best qualities present, devoted friend.
“...I knew many people with high qualities, but I have never met a purer, brighter and simpler heart; I loved many, but no one as firmly and ardently as Oblomov. Once you know him, you can’t stop loving him…” says Andrei Ivanovich about Ilya Ilyich.
He loves his friend for his sincerity, considers him a very good person, even despite his imposingness, apathy and laziness. Stolz hopes that someday it will be possible to remake Ilya Ilyich and is trying to take appropriate measures. But will he succeed?
Episodes from the novel: friendship between Stolz and Oblomov
Throughout the entire novel, Oblomov and Stolz walk hand in hand, maintaining sincere affection for each other. Let's look at some episodes from their lives.
Here Ilya and Andrey are small children. One of them is brave and active, the other is a little lazy, dreamy and fearful. Parents love their children immensely, but they raise them differently. Therefore, their fates are completely different...
Here is Andrei, “often, taking a break from business or from the social crowd, in the evening, from the ball, he goes to sit on Oblomov’s wide sofa and, in a lazy conversation, take away and calm the anxious or tired soul.” In the presence of Oblomov, the friend calms down, feels like a man who has come “from a magnificent hall to his own modest roof.”
So they are conducting a dialogue with each other, and Andrei cannot convince Ilya to become more alive, to go out into society, to break away from his comfortable sofa, to change his way of thinking, to leave passivity, apathy and laziness, to become a full-fledged person... “Like a lump of dough, he curled up and “You’re lying,” Stolz reproaches Oblomov, but he does not respond to the comments. However, Andrey is adamant in his decision to change the situation. “No, I won’t leave you like this,” he says indignantly. In a week you won't recognize yourself. This evening I will tell you a detailed plan about what I intend to do with myself and with you, and now get dressed ... "
Clever Stolz, behind the veil of indifference and laziness, managed to discern a philosopher in his friend, because he sometimes speaks very correct speeches. “Life: life is good! What to look for there? interests of the mind, heart? says Oblomov to a friend. Look where the center is around which all this revolves: it is not there, there is nothing deep that touches the living. All these are dead people, sleeping people, worse than me, these members of the world and society!..”
“You reason like an ancient one,” Stolz concludes. But even that’s good, at least you’re reasoning and not sleeping.”
The insightful Oblomov was tired of everything, that’s why he tried to close himself in the shell of his absurd dreams and daydreams and limit himself to staying in his own home, where everything is so familiar and familiar, where there is no fuss and feigned fun. But living according to his friend’s plan is also extremely difficult for him...
Here's another scene. “Now or never,” Stolz declares, and Oblomov makes a great effort on himself, deciding to follow his friend’s advice and get a French passport. However, at that time he never left. But unexpected changes occur in his personal life: Oblomov falls in love with Olga Ilyinskaya, a simple and at the same time noble woman. His friend Andrei also treats her with trepidation.
But Ilya Ilyich’s approach to the girl is original: not wanting to flatter, here too he shows some kind of clumsiness, indifference to pompous phrases, and maybe even ignorance, saying: It costs me nothing to say: “Ah! I will be very glad, happy, you, of course, sing great... this will please me... But is this really necessary?
Finally, Olga began to sing, and Oblomov could not resist an enthusiastic “Ah.” “Do you hear? Stolz told her. Tell me honestly, Ilya: how long has it been since this happened to you?” - he asked his loving friend. Unfortunately, Oblomov's immaturity over time got the better of him. bright feelings to Olga Ilyinskaya. He could not and did not want to overcome his natural laziness and become the husband of this beautiful woman. In the end, it was Andrei Stolz who took Olga as his wife, who, it turns out, was also in love with her, but did not want to interfere with his friend’s happiness.
The time for change comes, and Oblomov marries Agafya, the widow of the college secretary Pshenitsyn, a thrifty, kind and intelligent woman who faithfully looked after him during times of illness and depression. His life again goes smoothly and smoothly. Agafya surrounds her husband with care and maintains complete order in the house. Well, what about Stolz?
Unfortunately, the last meeting of friends five years later was very sad. "Dead!" - Andrei Ivanovich lamented about his friend, seeing him in extremely difficult state of mind. He was also shocked by the fact that Agafya was Ilya’s wife. At this unexpected news, it was as if a stone wall had opened up between friends, and Stolz realized that his comrade would never leave Oblomovka. But still he heeded the requests of Ilya Ilyich “not to forget his son Andrei.” And he promised himself to lead the boy on a completely different path, and with him “to bring their youthful dreams into action.”
This kind of friendship is very important
Having followed the relationship between Oblomov and Stolz, we can conclude: such friendship is also necessary and useful, because they amazingly complemented each other and supported each other in difficult moments of life. It is a pity, of course, that Ilya Oblomov died, unable to cope with internal apathy and a lazy lifestyle, but he left behind a son, whom his best and faithful friend, Andrei Ivanovich, took in to raise him. He helped Ilya this time too - now by adopting his own blood and giving the child a chance for a full, meaningful life. But how could it have happened otherwise? After all, the friendship of Ilya and Andrey has always been real.
