Two young, but completely different people were still able to become friends for a while. And their friendship is described in Pushkin’s novel “Eugene Onegin”. But what really connected these people? A young, dreamy poet and cynic, an expert on life and its laws. They were able to find a common language, but what actually brought them together? Can such people communicate with pleasure and find something interesting in each other? These are the questions everyone who has read the novel “Eugene Onegin” asks themselves. ? The answer to the question lies in the past of each of these characters and in the stage of life at which they met.
General ideas about friendship at that time. Onegin's past
In Pushkin’s time, the formation of life was influenced to a greater extent than now by religion, poetry, and the works of philosophers and writers of that century who promoted moral ideals. Friendly relations were considered something majestic and godly, especially among believers, and were protected by the concepts of honor and good name, which everyone who spent a lot of time in society strived to have.
Onegin was a well-mannered man, but his “sharp and chilled mind” did not allow his heart to open up. He knew how to present himself beautifully, had excellent acting skills, and knew how and in what situation to present himself. Thanks to this happy gift, many people, especially important and influential ones, sought to become friends with Eugene. He was a very charming person, knew how to please others, knew how to behave correctly in society, but no one touched his heart. Tired of social life and endless love affairs, he was looking for constant changes, but did not know where and how to change the situation.
And so, having learned about the inheritance of his dying uncle, he moves to the village, where he meets Lensky. By this time, Eugene already knows people, society, and morals well, but his cynicism does not open his path to sincere relationships, including friendly ones. Although many in high society dreamed of making friends with him or treated him as a young and promising person.
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The game "Who's on first?" when the players are far apart makes absolutely no sense. Different judges evaluate its results differently. So be it.
Well, what if this is not a game, but a duel?
If our Zhenya and Volodya are Evgeny Onegin and Vladimir Lensky, raising not scarecrows at each other, but real pistols? There's no time for controversy here. The latecomer dies!
Onegin and Lensky
So, not a game, but a duel. The events taking place - Onegin's shot and Lensky's fall, exactly according to Pushkin. The judges become seconds. All of them, of course, register the same sad outcome of the duel - the death of Lensky (for death is, alas, not a relative, but an absolute phenomenon; it cannot be that from one point of view Lensky died, and from another, Onegin).
Onegin and Lensky
However, now irreconcilable differences are revealed in the judgments of the second judges.
The first second (the pilot of the plane overtaking the ship) states that Onegin’s shot occurred before Lensky’s fall. There are no objections here yet.
The second second (the captain of the ship) assures that Onegin’s shot and Lensky’s fall took place simultaneously (and this is no longer consistent with the obvious causal connection of both events).
Finally, the third second (buoy keeper) announces something completely incredible: Lensky fell before Onegin fired. There is an obvious contradiction, a gross violation of the principle of causality.
This, of course, cannot be. Causes must precede effects. Why did it turn out to be absurd? Let's try to figure it out.
It immediately catches your eye: in assessing a duel, there is no equality of opinions between different seconds. The captain and the buoyman made clearly unsuitable conclusions. For the captain, the bullet was immediately in the barrel of Onegin’s pistol and in Lensky’s heart. But for the beacon keeper she was flying into the past. Back in time! Like the impossible episode with the bandit Clio, who killed Mr. Barney with a bullet that had not yet left the gun, but then he himself was killed before he had time to shoot... Ugh...
True, at first glance the pilot’s opinion seems acceptable. At least the principle of causality is not violated: Onegin shot first and only then Lensky fell. But here’s what’s important: the time interval between these events was so small that the bullet, according to the pilot’s countdown, flew from Onegin to Lensky before the light signal. That is, it moved relative to the pilot faster than light. And this, it turns out, is unacceptable, because this is what gave rise to absurd situations for the captain and the buoyant. Let's try to prove what has been said by arguing by contradiction.
Indeed. Let Onegin's bullet fly slower than light relative to the pilot. Then for other seconds it moves slower than light (after all, only the pilot rushes towards the shooting Onegin, and the speed of light for all seconds is the same - the second postulate). Here the bullet will fly past all the seconds after they see the shot. And it will reach Lensky after Onegin’s registered shot. Afterwards - for all seconds. Including for the beaconman.
In other words, in any frame of reference, the cause will precede the effect. That's what is required.
Lensky. The poet's past
An elevated, secular, interesting young man who had just arrived in his native village from Germany and dreamed of a poetic future. A solitary life and reading did not dispose him to communication and social life, so at the age of 18, Vladimir was still a naive young man. Without knowing people, disappointments, major failures, for him his whole life was still rosy. Inspired by the books he read, he dreamed of unearthly love, poetic laurels and the glorification of his bride Olga as the ideal of femininity and beauty. It was not for nothing that he composed poems and love letters for her, although he did not think too much about whether Olga needed all of them.
He believed in the sincerity and simplicity of friendship, in the fact that friends are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the high ideals of devotion and nobility. Himself capable of making sacrifices for the sake of love and high relationships, Lensky firmly believed that others would do the same.
Ice and fire or opposites attract
Why did Lensky and Onegin become friends? What brought them together, even despite such different attitudes towards friendship?
Here are some basic psychological reasons.
- Boredom and monotony of village life.
This is the first thing that brought them together in the village. Onegin, like Lensky, was bored by conversations about village life, “about the kennel and his relatives,” as Pushkin writes. He was looking for an interesting interlocutor in this wilderness, just like Lensky. And, although at first they did not like each other, common conversations on lofty topics marked the beginning of their friendly relationship. Onegin was pleased, although without much joy, to listen to Lensky’s naive speeches and appreciate his creative work, and Lensky enjoyed communicating with Eugene, since he, unlike other villagers, was educated and well-read. - Unlived youth events.
Onegin's early success with ladies and high society freed the socialite from poetic torment, the torment of creativity, and the need to pour out his feelings in a diary or poetry notebook. And his innate charm and social life forced him to skip the stage of youthful love and sublime passion, which Lensky glorified in his work. Communicating with the young poet, Onegin again seemed to remember and live out his youthful dreams. And this is another reason why Lensky and Onegin became friends. - Communication with the Larins.
It brought these people significantly closer, even despite their different attitudes towards friendship. For Onegin, all this communication was simply a way to while away rural leisure time and satisfy the need for communication; for Lensky, Onegin was a real, as it seemed to him, friend - smart, educated, well-read, knowing everything and able to fill his own “unsteadiness of mind” and gaps in knowledge life. Therefore, Lensky was interested in communicating with him.
conclusions
These are the main reasons why Lensky and Onegin became friends, although by and large such a relationship cannot be called friendship, especially at the time of the duel. After all, Onegin was indifferent to everything, including Vladimir’s naive feelings for Olga, his dreams and experiences. Therefore, only Lensky had a sincere attitude, but not Onegin. And the relationship was not friendship in the lofty sense that Lensky put into it. They could be called friendly, brightening up the dullness of village leisure.
Onegin and Lensky are one of the main characters of the work “Eugene Onegin” by A.S. Pushkin. They represent a new, advanced, modern noble society that adheres to liberal views. Both heroes have both similarities and differences in their origin, education and way of fighting the current system, but they are united by a common ideal. Unlike many nobles of that time, they understand the meaninglessness of an idle existence. This is what caused their sad story. For Onegin, life turned into a drama, and for Lensky it completely ended in death. Eugene Onegin received a varied education at home, which was usual for his time, but it was not strict: Monsieur I”Abbe, a poor Frenchman, so that the child would not suffer, taught him everything jokingly. However, Onegin knew French, several phrases in Latin, read ancient and economic literature: he scolded Homer, Theocritus; But he read Adam Smith... Eugene also built a successful line of behavior in society, which covered up his not very good education: He had the lucky talent Without coercion in conversation To touch everything lightly, With the learned air of an expert To remain silent in an important dispute And to arouse the smile of ladies With unexpected fire epigram. Evgeny Onegin led a life typical of the metropolitan aristocracy: balls, restaurants, theaters, walks along Nevsky Prospect, love affairs, but he stands out among the youth of his time. The young man had critical thinking and a nobility of soul that was not inherent in most of his peers. Onegin was aware of the meaninglessness and idleness of his life. As a thinking person, he was bitterly aware of the emptiness of light. Gradually he begins to be struck by melancholy: No: his feelings cooled down early; He was tired of the noise of the world; The beauties were not long the subject of his habitual thoughts; The betrayals have become tiresome; I'm tired of friends and friendship... Attempts to fight the blues were unsuccessful. He did not know how to work systematically, and his embitterment, gloominess, and loneliness made themselves known more and more strongly. Finding himself on the inherited estate, Onegin made life easier for the peasants: He replaced the ancient corvée with an easy quitrent with a yoke. But this was where his reform activity ended. The conversations of his neighboring landowners, revealing his narrow outlook and primitive thinking, weighed heavily on him. He preferred splendid loneliness to them. Acquaintance with the young poet Vladimir Lensky, who stood out among the local nobles, helped to temporarily distract from the sad thoughts hovering in Onegin’s head. Lensky seemed to be the complete opposite of his neighbor, but in fact, inexperience and ardor, inexperience and impetuosity - all this was inherent in Evgeniy when he was younger, but age cooled the impulses of the heart. Vladimir Lensky, who received a foreign education, decided to get to know Onegin better: But Lensky, not having, of course, the desire to marry, wanted to make a short acquaintance with Onegin. In conversations with Vladimir, Onegin understands that he dreams of the happiness of all mankind and believes in the sacred bonds of true friendship: He believed that friends were ready to accept shackles for his honor... That there are people chosen by fate, sacred friends of people; Lensky was close in spirit to the Decembrists, his social ideals were just as humane and noble, but his high ideals were very vague and indefinite, embodied in his poetry. Onegin's cold mind, spiritual satiety and melancholy did not prevent him from admiring the sincerity of the young poet, the ardor of his feelings, and the fervor of his convictions. Evgeniy was not known for such sincerity. Perhaps Onegin was even slightly jealous of his friend’s honesty, since he himself had already lost his ardor: He listened to Lensky with a smile. The poet's passionate conversation, And the mind, still unsteady in judgment, And the eternally inspired gaze - However, Vladimir soon fell in love with Olga, Tatyana Larina's sister. She seems perfect to him, but a stupid quarrel that broke out between friends led to a duel. Unfortunately, due to fear of public opinion, they were forced to shoot. Lensky was killed. But what awaited them if the duel had not happened? It is quite possible that Lensky would have become a real poet, and even become one of the Decembrists. Onegin could not become a fighter for a just reorganization of society; the path of non-resistance to evil through violence awaited him, since the skepticism with which he was infected paralyzed his will and aspirations.
The name of Alexander Pushkin is familiar to the Russian reader and respected far beyond the borders of Russia. His writing style is considered to be impeccable; many poets imitated and imitate him. Children read Pushkin's fairy tales, and adults learn the depth of poems and poems. His novel in verse “” is amazing in its beauty of form and depth of content. The characters in this work can be classified as eternal images, because they have long begun to live not only on the pages of the novel, but also beyond its borders.
The main character is the capital's nobleman Eugene Onegin. Vladimir Lensky is a friend of the main character, which means he is also an important character. Comparative characteristics of these images will allow us to better reveal their essence.
Can be called the darling of fate. He is a nobleman who has lived in abundance since childhood. He was taught by a foreign tutor who did not overwork the student with science. Therefore, the hero speaks self-critically about his education: he studied “something” and “somehow.” But thanks to his love of reading and his sharp mind, Onegin was still well educated. He “shone” with his intelligence at balls, because he knew how to talk beautifully on any topic. And although his knowledge was mostly superficial, the “highly educated” metropolitan society did not require more.
Eugene had an impeccable command of French, which was strongly encouraged among the Russian nobility of that time. As for his native culture and traditions, the hero was very little interested in this.
– refined romantic nature. He, like Evgeny, was quite smart. It is known that Vladimir studied at the University of Göttingen in Germany. The hero was fond of Kant's philosophy and poetry. Here we can see the author's hint that Lensky is an idealist. But the hero still did not differ in depth of judgment. Therefore, it is possible that all his high romantic impulses are explained by youthful ardor and sensuality of nature. After all, Vladimir Lensky is only 18 years old. At this age, many people write simple love poems.
The character of Evgeny Onegin is complex and ambiguous. He knows how to behave in society: he is able to support any conversation, he is skilled in love, and resourceful in his actions. Evgeniy learned the art of hypocrisy and flattery early, so he fit well into the circle of “golden youth.” But deep down in his soul, this way of life was disgusting to him. The hero sought to find at least something real in life. But his spiritual impulses were broken by his “hateful” habits. This is exactly how he explains his refusal to Tatyana Larina. He was able to discern a pure, real soul in that girl, but could not take responsibility for her.
Vladimir Lensky is a young romantic, idealist and theorist. He is quite familiar with the works of foreign philosophers, but is far from a real understanding of his native culture. It can be compared to a beautiful flower without a root. He is beautiful only temporarily: under the weight of the slightest breeze he will be broken.
Evgeny Onegin does not like the environment in which he lives. But he doesn’t believe that he can change anything. Therefore, it is as if he is taking revenge on society with his cynicism.
Evgeny Onegin is a representative of “superfluous people” in literature. They feel like strangers everywhere, blaming only society for this. Although in many ways they have themselves to blame. Evgeny Onegin is not used to achieving something through hard work, so he is simply too lazy to find his ideals.
Evgeny Onegin and Vladimir Lensky are similar in many ways: both belong to the highest metropolitan society, smart, well-read. But still they are antipodes. The image of Vladimir Lensky sets off the image of the main character, allowing you to get to know him better.
- my favorite poet, whose works can be called brilliant. I read each of them with pleasure, but one of my favorites is. We studied him in literature lessons, and now we need to give a comparative comparison of Onegin and Lensky.
Comparative characteristics of two heroes
Having read the novel Eugene Onegin, we can say with confidence that Onegin and Lensky are the central figures of the work and play an important role in revealing the plot. To understand the image of Onegin and Lensky, let's make a brief comparative description of these heroes separately.
Brief description of Lensky
In order to get acquainted with the characteristics of Lensky, let's turn to quotes from the work. During the events described in the novel, Lensky was eighteen. He had a “young young heart.” He did not like social life, was not spoiled by balls, had a pure soul, which “was not changed by cheerful noise.” He received his education in Germany, was amorous and timid. In the novel, Eugene Onegin is a living character, hot-tempered, believing in both friendship and love. Lensky is a romantic and poet at heart. Vladimir fell in love with Olga, and when he dedicated poems to her, he was a “singer of love.” Lensky had an ardent nature, full of inspiration and faith in the best.
Onegin and Lensky
Onegin refuses the love of Tatyana, whose favor he will so passionately seek in a few years.
Lensky’s dreams will not come true, and Onegin is to blame for this. The quarrel that occurred between friends seems completely ridiculous, but it led to a tragic outcome. It is the duel between Lensky and Onegin that reveals these characters most fully.
Onegin, finding himself at Tatiana’s name day, is no longer glad that he agreed to his friend’s persuasion. The crowd of guests, their noisy conversation, and laughter irritate Evgeniy. In addition, he is seated opposite Tatyana, who is close to fainting. And the hero finds the “culprit” of this unpleasant situation - Lensky. His courtship of Olga is revenge for the fact that he ended up here. The hero realizes the stupidity and absurdity of his behavior later, and while he is dancing with Olga, he whispers compliments to her. But as soon as Lensky leaves the Larins’ house, all this loses interest for Onegin.
The misunderstanding that arose could have been easily resolved if the friends had behaved a little wiser, but each of them fully showed their character. Lensky, a poetic person, immediately presented this situation in a romantic way: Olga is a naive, beautiful creation - a “two-morning flower” that fell into the hands of a “corrupter.” And he is a noble savior. Here Pushkin once again emphasizes how far his hero is from true reality. The world around him and the people themselves appear different in his mind, he is deceived and mistaken.
But what about Onegin? He looks at life soberly and must understand the absurdity of what is happening. He understands. Alone with himself, Pushkin's hero admits that he was wrong when he made fun of Lensky so much that he had to explain everything. He also condemns himself for agreeing to the duel. But then it turns out that this arrogant, indifferent, contemptuously looking at the world and people, and the person finds himself captive of public opinion. It turns out that he is not indifferent to the opinions of those with whom he did not want to know. Independent Onegin is a prisoner of social conventions and prejudices. And the reader makes this discovery thanks to the collision of two characters in the novel - Lensky and Onegin.
The life of a young poet ends in a duel. But Pushkin allows us to look into his future, which will never happen. The reader is offered two possible paths for the hero, had he remained alive. Perhaps Lensky’s dreams would really come true, he would become a great man, crowned with glory and recognition of the world. But most likely, “an ordinary poet’s fate awaited him”: dreams and poetry would have remained in the past, and his life would have been the life of an ordinary provincial landowner. I think that Pushkin is leaning towards this idea. He, of course, treats his hero with sympathy, but does not hide the irony over his poems, his judgments about people and the world, and his actions. The author shows us a sweet, good-natured, but ordinary person.
Against his background, Onegin’s originality becomes even more obvious. Pushkin is laconic in his story about the further life of the hero. We learn that remorse forced him to leave the village and go on a journey. He appears again in St. Petersburg, but this is a different person. There is no pretense, no pose, no desire to demonstrate his melancholy to the world. Onegin of the eighth chapter is a lonely, gloomy man, acutely aware of the uselessness of his life, the meaninglessness of his existence, the oppressive emptiness around him, “hateful freedom” turned into loneliness. Maybe that’s why he pursues Tatyana with the ardor of a boy in love. Love becomes the only thing that can fill the void in his soul and life. And again something is revealed in the character of this hero. It turns out that he is capable of loving passionately, selflessly, recklessly. The “science of tender passion” is forgotten; he, without reasoning, surrenders to his feelings. This means that all is not lost for this hero. And the future is possible for him. It is unlikely that this will be the life of an ordinary person; Onegin is too extraordinary.
The ending of the novel is open, the author leaves his hero “at an evil moment for him.” The reader can only guess what awaits him ahead. I think Onegin’s path will be difficult; more than once he will have to be disappointed and encounter misunderstandings. But such is the fate of bright people, not appreciated by their contemporaries, not in demand by the era. It was precisely the fate of such a “hero of the time” that Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin showed, giving him a completely ordinary person as a “pair”.
