Problematics and artistic features of I. S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons.”


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Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons” very vividly and reliably reflected the character of the era, those significant changes in Russian social life that occurred in the early sixties of the last century, when the revolutionary-democratic ideology made its way to replace the noble ideology and culture, or miscellaneous.

Turgenev showed the struggle of two social groups: the old liberal noble intelligentsia and the common intelligentsia. Moreover, the novel has a pronounced anti-noble orientation, as the author himself pointed out: “My whole story is directed against the nobility as an advanced class... This is the triumph of democracy over the aristocracy.”

The basic principle of constructing a novel is antithesis. This is already stated in its title, which contrasts father and children, two generations of people. Opposition in the family gives rise to a universal conflict - family conflict. But in Turgenev's novel, the misunderstanding between fathers and children is not based on differences in characters. Their incompatibility occurs due to ideological differences. In this situation, a violation of the continuity of generations may occur, and this, in the opinion of the jam, threatens the death of humanity.

Evgeny Bazarov, the exponent of the ideas of the revolutionary democratic intelligentsia, and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov, the main defender of the liberal nobility, are perceived as antipodes in the novel. Their clashes and disputes, which form the basis of the plot of the novel, give rise to another conflict - a socio-political one.

How to save Russia is the main question around which the nihilist Bazarov and the liberal Kirsanov are fiercely arguing. The commoner's denials are based on public interests, dictated by time and are purposeful. By his own admission, “at the present time” it is most useful to deny and destroy. For what? Bazarov’s answer sounds like an axiom that does not require proof: “The place needs to be cleared in order to build later.” All the foundations of autocratic-noble Russia are subject to merciless denial: autocracy and the church, noble culture. His passion for nihilism takes Bazarov to the extreme: he tries to throw out of life what he cannot do without: art and literature, love, the beauty of nature. For him, “a decent chemist is twenty times more useful than any poet,” “Raphael is not worth a penny,” “Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it.”

It is natural that Pavel Petrovich, brought up on high and noble ideals, whose life cannot be imagined without such concepts as dignity and individual rights, self-respect, honor, freedom, Christian morality and humility, who in the novel acts as the keeper and accumulator of all cultural values. Bazarov's nihilism is alien, absurd, and unacceptable.

Two friends are also shown in the novel as antipodes - Evgeny Bazarov and Arkady Kirsanov. Bazarov is a convinced nihilist, while Arkady, under the influence of a friend, is only carried away by the idea of ​​denial. But those extremes of nihilism to which Bazarov has reached are alien to him. The friendship of two wonderful people in their own way ends in failure, and the blame for this lies not only on Arkady’s conscience.

The author contrasted his main character with life itself, which, in his opinion, cannot be reduced to any theoretical formula. He shows Bazarov’s readiness to act in the spirit of his democratic convictions, that is, to destroy in order to clear a place for those who will build. But Turgenev does not give him the opportunity to act because, from his point of view, Russia does not need such destruction. While sympathizing with his hero, he does not recognize the cause for which Bazarov was preparing himself, so he forces him to die.

By showing a picture of the tragic confrontation of Russian society, Turgenev hoped with his work to mark the beginning of the unification and unification of the best forces of Russia for the sake of the saving nullification of the Motherland, which he loved so passionately.

Artistic features of "Fathers and Sons"

Artistic features. Turgenev defines the main feature of his creative method as follows: “Our time requires us to capture modernity in its transitory images.” It determines the emergence in the writer’s work of a special type of realistic novel, called cultural-historical. Such a novel is characterized by the presentation of topical problems, new ideas and heroes of the time, characterized through a special type of culture, which can rightfully be attributed to the novel “Fathers and Sons”. This work has another quality of a cultural-historical novel: it becomes a kind of self-report of Russian society for a specific time period (the novel “Fathers and Sons,” completed in 1861, tells about the events of 1859).

Another distinctive quality of the novel is its saturation with ideological polemics, which was reflected in the entire system of artistic means used. The main one is dialogue, developing in the form of an ideological dispute. The characters' characters are revealed in the dialogue. Bazarov's dialogues with Pavel Petrovich, with Arkady, with Sitnikov and Kukshina, with Odintsova characterize the hero more fully and comprehensively than his actions, which sometimes seem very contradictory. Unlike his opponents, Bazarov is brief in the dispute, does not strive to speak beautifully, but at the same time he is very convincing (for example, the dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich in Chapter X). He comes out victorious in almost all disputes.

The most important means of characterizing heroes is their language. Various intonation shades recreate the most complex range of experiences of the characters, and the choice of vocabulary characterizes their social status, range of activities and even the era to which they belong. For example, Pavel Petrovich uses “efto” instead of “this” in his speech and “this quirk reflected the remainder of the legends of Alexander’s time.” Or another example: Pavel Petrovich “pronounced the word “principle” softly, in the French manner,” as “princip”, and “Arkady, on the contrary, pronounced “principle”, leaning on the first syllable,” from which it becomes clear that the heroes, belonging Different generations perceive this word differently.

Contrast is also typical for other artistic means, since antithesis is the ideological and structural basis of the entire work. This applies to the parts used. Thus, Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich, opposed by origin and social status (aristocrat-democrat), are characterized by different details of behavior (inactive life in the village, which Pavel Kirsanov leads, is a constant job that Bazarov is busy with, even while visiting his friend Arkady ), speech (ornate turns of phrase, Kirsanov’s mannerisms - simplicity, precision of phrase, Bazarov’s aphorism), portrait details. Thus, the complete antithesis of the portrait of Bazarov, drawn in the 1st chapter, is the portrait of Pavel Petrovich: Evgeny has a “long” face, a “wide” forehead, “long and thick” hair, Pavel Petrovich’s features seem to be drawn with a “thin and light chisel” , hair “short-cropped”; Bazarov’s hand is “red”, and Pavel Petrovich’s is “beautiful... with long pink nails”; Bazarov is dressed in “a long robe with tassels,” and Pavel Petrovich is in “a dark English suit, a fashionable low tie and patent leather ankle boots.”

Thanks to all these means of characterization, Turgenev appears in the novel as an objective narrator, expressing his position through the development of the plot, comparison of characters, and the results of their actions. Turgenev’s psychologism is also special: according to the writer himself, he is a “secret psychologist.” This means that Turgenev hints at the hidden reasons for the state or behavior of the heroes, without directly analyzing them, but involving the reader in the analytical process. Without directly depicting the feelings and thoughts of his characters, the writer allows the reader to guess them by their external manifestations. For example, by the way Odintsova “with a forced laugh” tells Bazarov about the proposal made by Arkady to Katya, and then in the course of the conversation “laughs again and quickly turns away,” her feelings become clear: confusion and annoyance, which she tried to hide behind laughter .

But the objectivity of the narrative does not interfere with the expression of the author’s lyricism, which manifests itself in descriptions of the beauty of art and nature, sharply opposed to Bazarov’s emphasized anti-aestheticism (“Nature is not a temple, but a workshop”; “Raphael is not worth a penny”). Thus, disagreement with Bazarov’s views is expressed in the description of Nikolai Petrovich’s playing on the cello: “Someone played with feeling, albeit with an inexperienced hand, Schubert’s “Waiting,” and a sweet melody spread through the air like honey.”

“Fathers and Sons” is rightfully recognized as Turgenev’s most perfect novel. The ratio of plot dynamics, psychologism, lyrical principles in the narrative, philosophically significant dialogues, everyday descriptions, social characteristics - all elements of the ideological and artistic structure here reaches an ideal balance.

Artistic features of "Fathers and Sons"

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“Artistic features of Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons””

The artistic form of Fathers and Sons is closely related to the content of the novel. Its plot is based on gradually intensifying ideological disputes between two warring groups. The conflict between them ends in a complete break. The inner world and character of the heroes are revealed in disputes and dialogues, from which the views, thoughts and tastes of opponents become obvious. Old, receding Rus' does not give up without a fight; the new, young Russia not only does not shy away from it, but invariably emerges victorious. “Bazarov, in my opinion, constantly breaks Pavel Petrovich, and not vice versa,” wrote Turgenev. Turgenev is an excellent master of speech characteristics. The speech of the characters conveys not only thoughts, but also characters, habits, and unique human identity. The political convictions of Pavel Petrovich and Bazarov are clearly manifested primarily in disputes and in speech. The speech of Kirsanov Sr. is distinguished by strict logic, abstraction from reality, and an abundance of foreign words. Often he cannot find the right word in Russian and replaces it with French or English. He speaks with emphasized, “exquisite courtesy.” Courtesy, gentleness, caution are manifested in the speech of Nikolai Petrovich.

Bazarov's language reflects wit, courage, sharpness of judgment, and some rudeness. In a dispute with Pavel Petrovich, he calmly but boldly generalizes: “Aristocracy, liberalism, progress, principles... so many foreign... and useless words! Russian people don’t even need them for nothing.” The basis of the speech of the “plebeian” Bazarov is the language of the people. He often uses proverbs and sayings, sometimes rude words and expressions: “we heard this song”, “the devil pulled me”, “I was upset”, etc. Many of his judgments sound categorical: “A decent chemist is twenty times more useful than any poet”, “ If you get under a wheel, that’s where the road goes,” “Raphael isn’t worth a penny.”

Portraits of heroes help to understand their essence. Turgenev carefully describes the appearance of Pavel Petrovich, his costume, noting his beautiful “hand with long pink nails,” snow-white cuffs, fastened with a large opal, fragrant mustache, “beautiful white teeth.”

In the portrait of Eugene, his face is highlighted, “long and thin,” which was enlivened by a smile and expressed self-confidence and intelligence, a red hand, dark blond hair, long and thick. These details of the portrait emphasized his hard work, pampering, constant and intense work of thought.

Significantly complements the characteristics of the characters and their surroundings. Turgenev depicted representatives of various social groups. The things around them, clothes, personal items help to get to know their owners more deeply. The furnishings of Pavel Petrovich's office clearly confirm his refined aristocratic taste. Bazarov’s workroom immediately turned into a laboratory, filled with various smells, bottles, jars with frogs for experiments. This is the room of a scientist, a worker devoted to his profession. Bazarov’s father’s “bivouac,” as he called his house, is the house of a poor provincial doctor.

Fenechka’s room was clean and cozy. Everything was simple, neat, it smelled of chamomile and lemon balm, there were jars of jam on the windows, and a siskin lived in a cage. The furnishings of Fenechka’s room are very modest, everything breathes peace and quiet. Kukshina, an emancipated woman, has a completely different room. The chaotic, unkempt, tasteless furnishings testified to poor aesthetic taste, to some kind of licentiousness and sloppiness of its owner.

The landscape of the novel helps to understand the moods and experiences of the characters. The democrat Bazarov is attracted not by the aroma of forests and fields, but by swamps with frogs. Even for the lyrically minded landowner Nikolai Petrovich, the first place is not the poetry of nature, but economic concerns. The impoverishment of noble estates is emphasized by the poverty of the landscape. The view of a wretched and sad Russian village “with low huts under dark, often half-swept roofs”, empty threshing floors, “peasants on bad nags” merge with the hero’s experiences.

The absurdity and absurdity of the duel started by Pavel Petrovich is set off by the description of the “glorious, fresh” morning, the dew that “shone like silver on the cobwebs,” the sky from which “the songs of the larks rained down.”

The description of the rural cemetery where Bazarov is buried is filled with lyrical sadness; the flowers growing on his grave “speak... of eternal reconciliation and endless life.”

Turgenev's prose is musical and rhythmic. According to the fair remark of the foreign writer Yu. Schmidt, “reading his novels, it seems as if you hear the accompaniment of singing.”

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