- Essays
- On literature
- Pushkin
- Comparative characteristics of Onegin and Lensky
Onegin and Lensky are the central figures of the poem "Eugene Onegin". To better understand the essence of these characters, clarify their character, and study the author's idea, you should turn to the comparative characteristics of these heroes.
Onegin was born and raised in a noble family, and his tutor was involved in his upbringing from infancy. The child was surrounded by endless care and luxury, and thus had nothing in common with truly Russian national foundations. His entire way of life was subject to aristocratic ideals, compliance with which was put at the forefront.
Lensky is described as an attractive young man, full of youthful enthusiasm, and also very rich. The author does not talk about the nature of the hero’s upbringing.
As for education, we can say about Onegin that he learned a lot, but extremely superficially. His education is not bad, but does not provide deep knowledge. It is interesting that, unlike Russian, Onegin knows French perfectly. In addition, he is an excellent conversationalist, he can support almost any conversation and express his opinion on various issues. Onegin received a good history education, once studied political economy, and has an understanding of how society and the state work.
Vladimir Lensky is a student. An intelligent young man interested in philosophy and poetry. He studied in Germany, and, apparently, this promised him a wonderful future. And yet, as it turned out, “...the destiny of the ordinary poet awaited him.”
From the point of view of life ideals, Onegin and Lensky are very different. Eugene strives for harmony through the internal struggle of the eternal (national) and the temporary (that which has become entrenched in the hero’s personality as a result of social influence and foreign philosophy). Lensky's ideal is love, bright and true, as well as faithful, sincere friendship.
By character, Onegin is extremely contradictory and unpredictable. Surely one can say about him that he is a lazy, proud, cold person. Onegin is not at all shy about flattery and hypocrisy. In addition, he is a big fan of slander and criticism. For society, he is an extra person, he stands out among people and strives to find himself in this world, to understand the meaning of his life. He is disgusted with work, he is overcome by blues and boredom, he is full of skepticism. All these qualities characterize him as an unnecessary, superfluous person.
Vladimir Lensky is the opposite of Onegin. A true romantic, devoid of a rebellious spirit. An inspired dreamer, sincere, always striving to solve a mystery, a riddle. This is his meaning of life. The main task of this character is to emphasize Onegin’s character thanks to the contrasting differences between these heroes. They have one thing in common - the lack of a clear goal in life, lack of strength and fortitude.
Option 2
Two young people, by the will of fate, live next door. They seem to be the same, but at the same time, they are so different. Onegin is a hereditary nobleman. He was raised by a governess, then by a French tutor. They taught him little by little and didn’t force him too much. But at the same time, he knew French perfectly, spoke and wrote in it. In those years, it was possible not to know your native Russian language. But it was impossible not to know French. Society immediately rejected such a person.
Onegin knew everything superficially. And classical literature, and history, and social sciences. With a scholarly air, he reasoned spatially about what he did not know. This was enough to keep the conversation going.
Lensky. A handsome man with shoulder-length black curls, a rich guy. Pushkin does not specify what his ideals are. Studied in Germany, at the university. He was interested in Kant's philosophy. His future is the miserable existence of a poet.
What do our heroes believe in and what do they strive for? Onegin strives for harmony. Lensky believes in eternal love and holy friendship until the grave. Typical maximalism of youth. That’s right, Onegin is already twenty-six years old (it’s time to come to his senses and start a family). Lensky is eighteen years old. I haven't walked around yet.
Onegin is lazy, but why does he need to work? He's a nobleman. Hypocritical, flattering, sarcastic in tongue. Loves to show off and play in public. He is superfluous at that celebration of life.
Lensky is a naive young man. Full of delight, dreamy, romantic nature. Not yet spoiled by life and people. Trying to find his meaning in life. They shade each other, like black and white, like day and night. But at the same time, they are very similar. They have no future, no real cause. They waste their days aimlessly.
Onegin is writing some epigrams. He was not enough for serious poetry. He couldn't even distinguish one meter of verse from another. Lensky is a dreamy romantic. Secretly writes poems about love. He can be called the singer of love. And Onegin? This skeptic, who has seen everything and knows everything. Doesn't believe in love.
Lensky is still a naive boy. Idealizes both Olga and Onegin and their friendship. He behaves freely in both male and female society. Therefore, he does not see that Olga is reckless and naive, and not very smart, if she is crazy about his mediocre poems.
Onegin has already grown out of short teenage pants. He acquired a cold mind, prudence, and was completely disillusioned with life. He dried himself off at balls and in social salons, learned small talk and flirting. In my soul I became like an old bilious skeptic who has seen everything, knows everything, and does not expect anything good from life, because he knows its other side.
It’s just not clear how such two different people could be friends. There was no one else nearby with whom to communicate during the long empty evenings.
Onegin and Lensky: comparative characteristics | Literary guru
Lensky and Onegin are opposed to each other throughout the entire novel, which is deliberately and openly emphasized by the author himself:
***
His head is filled with the philosophical dogmas of German romanticism, which he does not think to doubt. He sees poetry as his calling, and has chosen his beloved as his muse.
***
Onegin, his complete opposite, is devoid of any idealism, his cold mind is rather pessimistic and sarcastically negative.
***
He, unlike Lensky, is fed up with the world around him, little excites or touches him, he has difficulty finding sources of pleasure, and even suffers from the dullness of life.
***
This life experience, although very specific, shaped his character and worldview.
***
He is not able to admire coquettes, seeing their feigned seriousness and emptiness; he cannot admire life, knowing how much deceit and pretense there is around.
***
Finding an interlocutor who can understand what you are talking about, challenge or agree with you is no less important, if not more important, than finding your like-minded person.
Onegin had no goal in life, it was empty and he did not strive for anything.
They were raised like all wealthy children of that time, far from Russian spirituality and culture, which was preserved in the village.
***
One meeting is enough for him to understand who is who. This ability is most clearly expressed in the episode where the young men meet the Larin sisters.
***
Lensky appears as a man who does not know what death is and thinks that he will live forever.
***
This contradiction is also relevant for modern society, which is why the novel “Eugene Onegin” is perfectly understood by people from our century.
He is bored with his usual surroundings, he strives to find salvation from the everyday hustle and bustle, but it doesn’t work out very well.
***
Vladimir Lensky, on the contrary, seems to be an extremely passionate young man and full of thirst for life.
***
He was a dear ignoramus at heart, He was cherished by hope, And the world's new shine and noise Still captivated the young mind. He amused his heart with a sweet dream; The purpose of our life is for him
***
At first glance, the young people have little in common. But, as you know, it is opposites that attract:
***
So perhaps the duel was not a fatal accident. The author immediately emphasizes that there was no deep, sincere friendship between the characters initially.
***
Both Onegin and Lensky are new residents of the village in which the action takes place. The characters' relationships with others develop differently.
***
Evgeny causes bewilderment with his, as they would say now, shocking actions: he ignores the accepted principles of that society, trying to live on his own, without looking back at anyone.
***
Vladimir, on the contrary, evokes sympathy, giving the impression of an advantageous match for many girls of marriageable age. Rich, good looking
***
Evgeniy seems to place himself above everything that is happening and easily enters into a kind of game, without particularly thinking about how serious the consequences may become.
***
As for the author’s attitude towards the characters in his novel, in my opinion, he sincerely sympathizes with both of them. However, there is probably somewhat less compassion for Lensky.
***
The fate of both heroes is unenviable. Probably, one can even assume that we are talking about the collapse of the romantic hero as such, about his failure in real life.
***
The author initially did not particularly favor Lensky: a discussion is given about the possible development of his future life if not for the duel.
***
Does your teacher check for plagiarism? Order a unique work from us for 250 rubles! More than 700 completed orders!
***
It seems to me that Onegin evokes great sympathy from the author, but his life also went downhill from that very fight.
***
The “game” went too far And then, so cruel in its simplicity, disappointment in one’s own past short-sightedness and frivolity when meeting with Tatyana
The result of Eugene’s upbringing and training was his knowledge of languages (French, Latin, Greek), history, the foundations of philosophy and economics, rules of good manners, and the ability to dance:
***
“He could express himself and write in French perfectly, danced the mazurka easily and bowed at ease.”
***
“He knew enough Latin to parse epigraphs, talk about Juvenal, put vale at the end of a letter, and he remembered, although not without sin, two verses from the Aeneid.”
***
Eugene does not like or understand poetry; on occasion, he can easily compose an epigram on the topic of the day:
***
Onegin is distinguished by restlessness; in principle, he cannot do anything for a long time:
***
“He was a pedant in his clothes, and what we called a dandy. He spent at least three hours in front of mirrors.”
***
All these qualities of a character become the key to a favorable attitude towards him in the light of:
***
A life full of entertainment quickly gets boring for the main character; for a while, Eugene’s only passion remains love adventures, but they gradually bore him:
***
“But the whispers, the laughter of fools And here is public opinion! Spring of honor, our idol!
***
“languishing in idle leisure, without service, without a wife, without business, I did not know how to do anything.”
***
Onegin is quite calculating. Having learned about his uncle’s imminent death, Onegin does not feel sympathy for him, but is quite ready to pretend to be so in order to receive an inheritance:
***
“Having read the sad message, Evgeny immediately galloped headlong to the post office date and was already yawning in advance, preparing himself for the sake of money, for sighs, boredom and deception.”
***
“to his caustic argument, and to the joke, with bile in half, and the anger of gloomy epigrams”
***
He perceives himself as a gloomy and indifferent person, even trying to exaggerate when speaking about his own person:
***
However, in this image there is a lot of ostentation and panache. Onegin knows how to understand people and appreciate them:
***
“even though he knew people, of course, and generally despised them, but (there are no rules without exceptions) he distinguished others very much and respected the feelings of others”
***
“my Eugene, not respecting the heart in him, loved both the spirit of his judgments and his common sense about this and that”
***
Even his “rebuke” to young Tatyana is caused by his reluctance to cause her even greater suffering than the pain of rejection:
***
He tries to be delicate with her and tries to warn the girl against careless impulses in the future, although a share of panache and narcissism is still present in his words:
***
“Learn to control yourself; Not everyone will understand you like I do; inexperience leads to disaster"
***
In his relationship with Lensky, realizing that they are too different for true friendship, Onegin for the time being spares the poet’s feelings and does not try to ridicule his enthusiastic ideas about life:
***
There is nobility and self-esteem in his character, and those around him recognize this:
“Wild, sad, silent, like a timid forest deer, she seemed like a stranger in her own family.”
***
Romantic and enthusiastic, she fell in love with Onegin at first sight only because:
***
Her letter to Eugene is written in French, in a very exalted tone, with pompous “bookish” turns:
***
In fact, she writes not to a living person, but to an invented image, and deep down in her soul she understands this:
***
However, one should pay tribute to her courage. She writes, despite the fact that she is endlessly scared:
***
Over time, it turns out that the love that Tatyana feels for Evgeniy is not an easy, quickly passing love:
***
She not only cherishes unhappy love in her soul, but tries to understand Onegin’s character, comes to his abandoned village house, reads his books:
***
“And little by little my Tatyana begins to understand the one for whom she was condemned to sigh by the imperious fate.”
***
At the family council, it was decided to go to Moscow, to the “bride fair,” but Tatyana remains indifferent to social life there:
***
“They find her somewhat strange, provincial and cutesy, and somehow pale and thin, but, by the way, very pretty”
***
She gets married at the insistence of her family, without love, to a man she doesn’t like much:
***
Since her marriage, the social manners of the already reserved Tatyana acquire a shade of even friendliness towards everyone, which is impossible to look behind:
***
Not participating in any intrigues, not competing with anyone, Tatyana commands the respect of society, her husband is very proud of her:
***
In the time that has passed since her first meeting with Onegin, Tatyana has learned, on his advice, to control herself:
***
“And no matter what troubled her soul, no matter how much she was surprised and amazed, nothing changed her: she retained the same tone, her bow was just as quiet.”
***
“The princess is in front of him, alone, sitting, not dressed, pale, reading some letter and quietly shedding tears like a river.”
“and there, with the inscription of a sad father and mother, in tears, he honored the patriarchal ashes”
***
An enthusiastic nature, even to the point of exaltation, not fully formed:
***
He came from Germany straight to the village, because he does not accept the rules by which high society exists:
***
However, since childhood, Vladimir was engaged to the youngest daughter of the Larins’ neighbors, Olga, and at the time of the story he was in love with her and was going to marry her:
***
“he believed that his dear soul should unite with him, that, languishing joylessly, she was waiting for him every day”
***
“in the confusion of tender shame, he only sometimes dares, encouraged by Olga’s smile, to play with his developed curls or kiss the hem of his clothes”
***
“I will be her savior. I will not tolerate the corrupter tempting a young heart with fire and sighs and praises.”
“Before this clarity of vision, before this tender simplicity, before this playful soul!”
***
Vetrena, does not know how to behave in society, compromises both herself and her fiancé by flirting with another:
***
“Olenka jumped from the porch to meet the poor singer, like a windy hope, playful, carefree, cheerful, well, exactly the same as she was.”
***
After the death of the groom in a duel, the girl quickly falls in love with another and marries him:
A comparative description of the heroes is given according to the following criteria: upbringing, education, character, ideals, attitude to poetry, attitude to love, attitude to life.
***
“A learned fellow, but a pedant: He had the lucky talent, Without coercion in conversation, To touch everything lightly, With the learned air of an expert.”
***
In general, Onegin can be characterized as an intelligent person, critical of reality, able to weigh the pros and cons.
***
Perhaps he had a brilliant future ahead of him, but, most likely, “the Ordinary poet’s destiny awaited him.”
***
What role, according to the author, does Lensky play in the novel? The role of this character is to highlight the character of Onegin.
***
Lensky and Onegin are different. But at the same time, they are similar: both do not have a worthwhile business, reliable prospects, they lack fortitude.
***
A.S. Pushkin is the great son of the Russian land. He was given the opportunity to open a new page in Russian literature.
***
Onegin and Lensky are antipodes. Onegin is a man in whom a good beginning lies dormant, but his superficial “ideals” lead to constant conflicts and internal disharmony.
***
Lensky is freedom-loving, dreamy and enthusiastic; he firmly believes in his ideals. But he is cut off from his native soil, he has no inner core.
Handra was waiting for him on guard And she ran after him Like a shadow or a faithful wife.
***
But in his corner he sulked, seeing in this the terrible harm His calculating neighbor.
***
He would have changed in many ways, would have parted with the muses, gotten married in the village, happy and horned, would have worn a quilted robe.
***
Essay Comparative characteristics of Onegin and Lensky
The novel in verse “Eugene Onegin” is one of the most significant works in the work of A.S. Pushkin, on which the writer worked for about 8 years. In the novel, the author showed the life of the young nobility of the 19th century and highlighted the main features of the society of that era. The central characters of the story are two very bright, dissimilar personalities - a young rake, bored in secular society - Eugene Onegin and his young friend with a pure and noble soul, Vladimir Lensky. Despite the difference in characters and life principles, these people converge and spend a lot of time together. Let's try, based on the characteristics of the two heroes that the writer provided to the reader, to find out what made them become friends, albeit for a short time.
Let's start with the fact that the heroes had that age difference, which is considered quite large in their youth: Onegin was 25 years old, Lensky had recently turned 18. Onegin considered himself a more experienced person in the affairs of secular society, in matters of love, so very often listened to Lensky’s “young nonsense” with a smile. Evgeniy's soul managed to cool down and turn into stone, while Vladimir's ardent temper was as mobile and unpredictable as a sea wave.
Both heroes received a fairly good education. Onegin was educated at home, first as a governess, and then, when the boy grew up, she was replaced by a French monsieur, who taught Eugene “half-jokingly.” But one way or another, he received an education that allowed him to be considered not stupid in society: he knew French perfectly, could translate from Latin, and understood economics (he read Adam Smith). In terms of intelligence, he stands much higher than his peers. But endless balls, love affairs, theaters made the hero gradually begin to lose the taste and meaning of life. His mind cooled, his ardent heart cooled down: Onegin drove himself into a deep melancholy, which accompanied him everywhere like a “shadow.”
Evgeniy is trying to look for the purpose of life in some kind of work: he writes poetry, reads. But this activity does not find a response in his soul, and he leaves it. In the village, where Evgeniy arrived on inheritance matters, he also strives to occupy himself with something: he abolished the corvee, replacing it with a light quitrent. But selfishness and hostility to work win in him. He again attends balls and takes part in love affairs. Onegin is the person who is able to step over the feelings of other people, to cause pain and suffering to those who love him. Having received a challenge to a duel, and feeling that he was wrong, he still accepts the challenge and kills his best, and maybe even only, friend. Why did he do this? No matter how Onegin despised the society in which he lives, he still found himself dependent on its opinion. The death of Vladimir completely turned Evgeniy’s life upside down. He becomes more responsive to the experiences of other people. The feeling of boundless guilt and pangs of remorse help the hero to feel life again and open his heart to love. But it is precisely in love that he suffers a complete collapse, perhaps this becomes a punishment for the crime he committed.
The opposite of Onegin in the work is Vladimir Lensky. This hero plays a significant role in understanding the character of Eugene. Lensky is younger than his friend, he received his education in Germany, but what he studied is not told to the reader. The hero’s spiritual world is completely opposed to Onegin’s worldview. Lensky is a poet, his soul is not at the mercy of the intrigues of the world, his mind is covered with a beautiful world of dreams. Vladimir believes in true friendship, in sincere bright love, in the honesty and decency of people. In his own way, this hero is a little naive. But Lensky is a lively, active person, he loves to live and enjoys life.
But what made such different people come together? Probably, after all, they were similar: both belonged to the generation of young nobles, both were not stupid thinking people who despised the emptiness and corruption of the world. Lensky's enthusiastic soul is in constant search of something beautiful. Onegin looks down on his naivety, believing that this is a temporary ardor of a young man, which will pass over the years and cool down. No one knows how life would have dealt with Lensky's fate. Perhaps he would have become a Decembrist, or maybe a simple man in the street, slowly losing his taste for life.
Both heroes are deep thinking individuals. Their inner world is very rich and genuine. The feeling of realizing his mistakes comes to Evgeny too late, only after he takes his friend’s life. Probably, Onegin simply became a victim of a cynical empty society, but he also found his victims in his best friend and in the girl who fell in love with him. He was never able to get out of the vicious circle of passions.
Similarities and differences between Onegin and Lensky essay
In his work, Pushkin depicts the leading part of the noble youth, their quests and aspirations. This is the main character of the novel, Eugene Onegin, and his friend Vladimir Lensky.
***
The romantic Lensky is killed in a duel, and Onegin, disillusioned with life, does not find his happiness.
***
Onegin despised them for their spiritual emptiness, and Lensky for their primitive minds and distance from art.
***
- And Evgeny, with a “chilled mind,” is disappointed in women and prefers “freedom and peace.”
***
← Peter 1 and Charles 12 in the poem Poltava ← Two landowners based on the novel by Dubrovsky↑ PushkinComparative characteristics of Onegin and Lensky → Lyrics of Pushkin’s St. Petersburg period →
Comparison of Onegin and Lensky for 9th grade
The main characters of the beautiful and fascinating novel “Eugene Onegin” are a nobleman from the capital Eugene and a rich landowner who recently returned from abroad, Vladimir Lensky.
The images of the young people are very similar: both belong to high society, both received a decent education, while one is disappointed in people, gloomy, embittered egoist, the other is enthusiastic, sincere, bright.
Onegin has progressive views, a sharp tongue, who knows how to impress others with a meaningful conversation on any topic and is thoughtfully silent when necessary. Having acquired superficial knowledge, Evgeniy nevertheless possessed sufficient erudition to be known to those around him as an intelligent person. In the environment of metropolitan society, he learned to be hypocritical and flatter. He is disgusted by the big world with its way of life, endless balls, masquerades, trips to the theater, dinner parties. He realizes that envy and slander reign in the world, that people waste themselves on trifles, meaninglessly wasting their lives. But Onegin is not accustomed to work, he has neither the desire nor the strength to change anything in his life. Lack of willpower and the habit of wasting time aimlessly lead to the hero losing interest in his surroundings and falling into deep melancholy. He was fed up with social life, he wanted peace and solitude. So he ended up in the village, where he became close to Vladimir Lensky.
Unlike Onegin, Lensky is an exalted nature, a dreamer, a romantic, and a talented lyricist. Despite the excellent education received at a German university, he has absolutely no knowledge of life and deliberately remains in this ignorance. His faith in ideals: friendship, sincere love is so strong that a collision with harsh reality leads him to despair. However, such traits do not prevent him from doing an excellent job with the household at the age of 18, to the envy of all his neighbors. Thus, Vladimir proves himself to be a practical, sensible businessman. At the same time, his ardor and determination sometimes leads to rash actions. He unleashes his anger on Onegin, his friend yesterday, and today the despicable tempter of the innocent heart of his beloved. After killing Lensky in a duel, Onegin tries to escape from the remorse that tormented him and goes on a trip.
Pushkin in his novel notes that young people, full of strength, capable of great things, are forced to vegetate in melancholy and despondency, or die, only because society, the environment that surrounds them from birth, makes them unhappy
Eugene Onegin
This hero received a classical aristocratic education. He was taught everything jokingly, but, despite this, Onegin received the knowledge he needed. In terms of mental development, he is much higher than his peers. Eugene is somewhat familiar with the works of Byron and has an idea of the works of Smith. But all his hobbies do not raise fiery and romantic feelings in his soul. Onegin spends his best years like many young people of his time: in theaters, at balls, in love affairs. But soon he comes to the understanding that this whole life is empty, envy, boredom and slander reign in the world, and people are meaninglessly wasting their time, wasting their inner strength on imaginary brilliance. As a result, Onegin loses interest in life, falling into deep blues because his sharp and cold mind is satiated with secular pleasures.
Essay Onegin and Lensky
Onegin and Lensky were completely different heroes with opposite characters. Describing Lensky, Pushkin notes that he was ardent, hot, but with a strange soul, which was often warmed by “the greetings of a friend, the melancholy of maidens.” Onegin left all this behind and saw his past self in his friend, but he had already undergone some changes in himself. He preferred loneliness to all these receptions, dances, balls and acquaintances. Unlike Lensky, he often loved to philosophize and indulge in deep, incomprehensible thoughts, especially when he was in nature, taking his lonely walks in thought. He was not understood by the villagers, for them he was just an ignoramus, crazy and strange; they were more impressed by Lensky: a nobleman, smart and educated, straight from high society. The doors of the house were always open for him, they were glad to see him there.
The images of these heroes are so different from each other that you involuntarily ask the question: How did these two find a common language, and even become friends? Why does the author bring together these people, who have such opposite views on relationships and love, on society and life in it?
To fully answer this question, you need to thoroughly study the characters of these two characters and analyze their actions and actions.
In my opinion, the heroes held the most different views regarding life in high society and society. Onegin was more of a recluse, a passive person after arriving in the village. He did not like to visit people, and he was reluctant to host anyone. Lensky was more attracted to the social, loud life, he was famous, and he himself knew everyone. He spent time with perky, cheerful ladies, known for their beauty, and he chose such a lover for himself - Olga.
Onegin was attracted by the quieter and more modest Tatyana, a little strange. She was not as beautiful as Olga, but something about her attracted Onegin, it was like some kind of spark that he saw in her eyes. She, just like Onegin, preferred solitude, was often silent, thinking about something, seemed sad, and loved novels. The author writes that “they replaced everything for her.” Lensky was practically no different from other young people of his age and time, while Onegin was original. This is very evident in the comparison of the characters of these heroes. With this comparison, A.S. Pushkin shows us the difference between Onegin and others, his unusualness and, perhaps, strangeness. The image of Lensky is the image of the whole society; this hero has features that many people possessed at that time. So the image of Lensky is a counterweight to Onegin, so that in contrast the main character of the work stands out for his dissimilar characteristics.
