The image of a Russian peasant woman in the poem. To help the student

In the novel “On the Eve” (1860), vague bright forebodings and hopes that permeated the melancholic narrative of The Noble's Nest are transformed into definite decisions. For Turgenev, the main question of the relationship between thought and activity, a man of action and a theoretician, in this novel is resolved in favor of the hero who practically implements the idea.

The very name of the novel "On the Eve" - ​​the name "temporary", in contrast to the "local" name "Noble Nest" - reflects the fact that the isolation, immobility of patriarchal Russian life is coming to an end.

A Russian noble house with an age-old way of life, with its neighbors, neighbors, gambling losses finds itself at the crossroads of world roads. The Russian girl uses her strength and selfless aspirations, participating in the struggle for the independence of the Bulgarian people.

Immediately after the publication of the novel, readers and critics drew attention to the fact that a Bulgarian is represented here as a person whom the Russian younger generation is ready to recognize as a model.

The title of the novel "On the Eve" not only reflects its direct, plot content (Insarov dies on the eve of the war for the independence of his homeland, in which he passionately wants to take part), but also contains an assessment of the state of Russian society on the eve of the reform and an idea of ​​the significance of the national liberation struggle in one country (Bulgaria) as the eve of European political changes (the novel also indirectly touches upon the question of the significance of the resistance of the Italian people to Austrian rule).

Dobrolyubov considered the image of Elena to be the focus of the novel - the embodiment of young Russia. In this heroine, according to the critic, "the irresistible need for a new life, new people, which now embraces the entire Russian society, and not even just one so-called" educated "<...>“The desire for active good” is in us, and there is strength; but fear, lack of confidence in their abilities and, finally, ignorance: what to do? - they constantly stop us<...>and we are looking for everything, craving, waiting ... waiting for at least someone to explain to us what to do. "

Thus, Elena, who, in his opinion, represented the country's young generation, its fresh forces, is characterized by a spontaneous protest, she is looking for a "teacher" - a trait inherent in the active heroines of Turgenev.

The idea of ​​the novel and its structural expression, so complex and ambiguous in "Noble Nest", in "On the Eve" are extremely clear and unambiguous. The heroine, looking for a teacher-mentor worthy of love, in "On the Eve" chooses from four applicants for her hand, from four ideal options, because each of the heroes is the highest expression of her ethical and ideological type.

Shubin and Bersenev represent the artistic-thinking type (the type of people of abstract-theoretical or figurative-artistic creativity), Insarov and Kurnatovsky belong to the “active” type, that is, to people whose vocation is practical “creativity”.

Speaking about the significance of Elena's choice of her own path and her “hero” in the novel, Dobrolyubov considers this search-choice as a process, an evolution similar to the development of Russian society over the past decade. Shubin, and then Bersenyev, correspond in their principles and characters to the more archaic, distant stages of this process.

At the same time, both of them are not so archaic as to be "incompatible" with Kurnatovsky (a leader of the era of reforms) and Insarov (who is given special importance by the emerging revolutionary situation), Bersenev and Shubin are people of the 50s. None of them are purely Hamletic. Thus, Turgenev in "On the Eve" seemed to say goodbye to his favorite type.

Both Bersenev and Shubin are genetically related to "superfluous people", but they lack many of the main features of the characters of this kind. Both of them, first of all, are not immersed in pure thought, the analysis of reality is not their main occupation. From reflection, introspection and endless withdrawal into theory, they are "saved" by professionalization, vocation, a keen interest in a particular field of activity and constant work.

Having "gifted" his hero-artist Shubin with the surname of the great Russian sculptor, Turgenev gave his portrait attractive features reminiscent of the appearance of Karl Bryullov - he is a strong, dexterous blond.

From the very first conversation of the heroes - friends and antipodes (Bersenev's appearance is depicted as the direct opposite of Shubin's appearance: he is thin, black, awkward), a conversation that is, as it were, a prologue to the novel, it turns out that one of them is “a clever philosopher, the third candidate of the Moscow university ”, an aspiring scientist, another - an artist,“ artist ”, sculptor.

But the characteristic traits of the "artist" are the traits of a man of the 50s. and the ideal of the people of the 50s. - strongly differ from the romantic idea of ​​the artist. Turgenev deliberately makes this clear: at the very beginning of the novel, Bersenev points out to Shubin what his tastes and inclinations should be, as an "artist", and Shubin, playfully "fighting off" this obligatory and unacceptable position of a romantic artist, defends his love for sensual life and its real beauty.

In the very approach of Shubin to his profession, his connection with the era is manifested. Aware of the limited possibilities of sculpture as an artistic genus, he seeks to convey in a sculptural portrait not only and not so much the external forms, but the spiritual essence, the psychology of the original, not the "face lines", but the look of the eyes.

At the same time, he has a special, sharpened ability to evaluate people and the ability to raise them into types. The accuracy of the characteristics that he gives to other heroes of the novel turns his expressions into winged words. These characteristics are in most cases the key to the types depicted in the novel.

If the author of the novel put all the socio-historical judgments in Shubin's mouth, up to the verdict on the legality of “Elena's choice,” he conveyed a number of ethical declarations to Bersenev. Bersenev is the bearer of the high ethical principle of selflessness and service to the idea (“the idea of ​​science”), as Shubin is the embodiment of the ideal “high” egoism, egoism of a healthy and whole nature.

Bersenev was given a moral trait to which Turgenev assigned a particularly high place on the scale of spiritual merit: kindness. Attributing this feature to Don Quixote, Turgenev based on it in his assertion of the exceptional ethical significance of the image of Don Quixote for humanity. “Everything will pass, everything will disappear, the highest dignity, power, all-encompassing genius, everything will crumble to dust<...>But good deeds will not scatter like smoke: they are more durable than the most radiant beauty. "

For Bersenev, this kindness comes from a deeply, organically assimilated by him humanistic culture and its inherent "justice", the objectivity of a historian who is able to rise above personal, selfish interests and preferences and assess the significance of the phenomena of reality regardless of his personality.

This is where Dobrolyubov interpreted "modesty" as a sign of moral weakness, his understanding of the secondary importance of his interests in the spiritual life of modern society and his "second number" in a strictly defined hierarchy of types of modern leaders.

The type of scientist as an ideal turns out to be historically disavowed. This "relegation" is reinforced by the plot situation (Elena's attitude to Bersenev), and by the direct assessments given to the hero in the text of the novel, and by the self-esteem put into his mouth. Such an attitude to the professional activity of a scientist could have arisen only at a time when the thirst for direct life-building, historical social creativity seized the best people of the younger generation.

This practicality, this active attitude towards life is not among all young people of the 60s. were in the nature of revolutionary or even simply disinterested service. In "On the Eve" Bersenev appears as the antipode not so much of Insarov (we have already noted that he is more than anyone else capable of assessing the significance of Insarov's personality), as the chief secretary of the Senate, the careerist Kurnatovsky.

The characterization of Kurnatovsky, "attributed" by the author to Elena, reveals the idea that Kurnatovsky, like Insarov, belongs to the "effective type" and the mutually hostile positions they hold within this - very broad - psychological type.

At the same time, this characteristic also shows how the historical tasks, the need to solve which is clear to the whole of society (according to Lenin, during a revolutionary situation, it is revealed the impossibility "for the ruling classes to maintain their dominance unchanged" and at the same time there is a "significant increase<...>activity of the masses ”, who do not want to live in the old way), make people of various political orientations put on the mask of a progressive person and cultivate in themselves the traits that are attributed by society to such people.

Kurnatovsky's "faith" is a belief in the state as applied to the real Russian life of the era, a belief in an estate-bureaucratic, monarchical state. Realizing that reforms are inevitable, figures like Kurnatovsky associated all possible changes in the life of the country with the functioning of a strong state, and considered themselves carriers of the idea of ​​the state and executors of its historical mission, hence self-confidence, self-confidence, according to Elena.

In the center of the novel is the Bulgarian patriot-democrat and revolutionary in spirit - Insarov. He seeks to overthrow the despotic rule in his native country, slavery, established for centuries, and the system of trampling on national feelings, guarded by a bloody, terrorist regime.

The uplift that he experiences and communicates to Elena is associated with faith in the cause he serves, with a sense of his unity with all the suffering people of Bulgaria. Love in the novel "On the Eve" is exactly what Turgenev portrays it in the above-quoted words about love as a revolution ("Spring Waters"). Inspired heroes joyfully fly into the light of struggle, ready for sacrifice, death and victory.

In "On the Eve" for the first time love appeared as a unity in convictions and participation in a common cause. Here a situation was poeticized that was characteristic of a large period of the subsequent life of Russian society and was of great importance as an expression of a new ethical ideal.

Before joining his life with hers, Insarov subjects Elena to a kind of "exam" anticipating the symbolic "interrogation" to which the mysterious voice of fate is subjected to the courageous revolutionary girl in Turgenev's prose poem "The Threshold".

At the same time, the hero of "On the Eve" introduces his beloved girl into his plans, his interests and concludes with her a kind of contract, which presupposes on her part a conscious assessment of their possible future - a feature of relations characteristic of the democrats of the sixties.

Elena's love and her noble determination destroy Insarov's ascetic isolation and make him happy. Dobrolyubov especially appreciated the pages of the novel, which portrayed the bright and happy love of young people.

In the mouth of Shubin, Turgenev put a lyrical apology for the ideal of heroic youth: “Yes, a young, glorious, courageous deed. Death, life, struggle, fall, triumph, love, freedom, homeland ... Good, good. God grant everyone! It's not like sitting up to your throat in a swamp and trying to pretend that you don't care when you really don't really care. And there - the strings are stretched, the links for the whole world or break! ".

History of Russian Literature: in 4 volumes / Edited by N.I. Prutskov and others - L., 1980-1983

Composition

The novel begins in the summer of 1853 in the dacha Kuntsevo near Moscow. Two young people are in love with Elena, the twenty-year-old daughter of the nobleman Nikolai Artemyevich Stakhov and Anna Vasilievna Stakhova, a native of Shubina, 26-year-old Pavel Yakovlevich Shubin, a sculptor, and 23-year-old Andrei Petrovich Bersenev, a novice philosopher, the third candidate of Moscow University. Elena is more sympathetic to Bersenev, which causes annoyance and jealousy in Shubin, but this does not in any way affect his friendship with Bersenev. Friends are completely different: if Shubin, as befits an artist, sees everything sharply and vividly, wants to be “number one” and longs for love-pleasure, then Bersenyev is more restrained, considers the purpose of his life - to put himself “number two” and love for him first of all - sacrifice.

Elena adheres to a similar point of view. She tries to help and protect everyone, patronizes the oppressed animals, birds, insects she meets, provides charity and gives alms. Bersenev invites his university friend, the Bulgarian Insarov, to Kuntsevo. Dmitry Nikanorovich Insarov is a man of iron spirit, a patriot of his homeland. He came to be educated in Russia with one single purpose - to then apply the knowledge gained in the liberation of his native Bulgaria from the Turkish yoke. Bersenev introduces Insarov to Elena. Light, real, mutual, disinterested, sensual love flares up between Insarov and Elena. Bersenyev, remaining true to his principles, steps aside. Passionately in love, Insarov, faithfully serving his main purpose, is trying to drown out love with his departure, in order to protect his chosen one ahead of time, awaiting her terrible trials. However, Elena at the last minute is the first to open up to Insarov and admits that she does not see her further life without him. Insarov surrenders to the power of feelings, but he cannot forget about the purpose of his life and prepares to leave for Bulgaria. Elena does not know for herself another way, how to follow the person so beloved by her. In search of a solution to the difficulties of the problem of leaving Russia, Insarov catches a cold and becomes seriously ill. Bersenev and Elena are nursing him. Insarov is recovering a little and is secretly married to Elena.

Thanks to the "well-wishers" this secret is revealed and serves as a frank blow for Elena's parents, who see her future in marriage with collegiate adviser Yegor Andreevich Kurnatovsky. However, thanks to Anna Andreevna's love for her daughter, Elena and Insarov's marriage is still blessed and financially supported. In November, Elena and Insarov leave Russia. Insarov has no direct route to Bulgaria. His illness is progressing and he has to undergo treatment in Vienna for two months. In March Elena and Insarov come to Venice, Italy. From here, Insarov intends to reach Bulgaria by sea. Elena constantly looks after Insarov and even, feeling the approach of something terrible and irreparable, does not at all regret her actions. Her feelings for Insarov only deepen. Elena blooms from this love. Insarov, worn out by the illness, is fading away and rests only on love for Elena and the desire to return to his homeland.
On the day of the arrival of the ship, Insarov dies rapidly. Before his death, he says goodbye to his wife and homeland. Elena decides to bury her husband in Bulgaria and sets out on the arrived for the Insarov ship across the dangerous Adriatic Sea. On the way, the ship falls into a terrible storm and the further fate of Elena is not known. In her last letter home, Elena says goodbye to her family and writes that she does not repent of anything and sees her happiness in fidelity to the memory and work of the whole life of her chosen one. The protagonist of the novel is the Bulgarian Dmitry Insarov, who personifies a new generation of people of civil exploit, whose word does not differ from deed. Insarov speaks exclusively the truth, he certainly fulfills his promise, does not change his decisions, and his whole life is subordinated to one supreme goal for him - the liberation of Bulgaria from the Turkish yoke. Insarov's ideological core is the belief in the alliance of all anti-serfdom forces, the alliance of all parties and political trends in the struggle against the forces of enslavement and humiliation of man. Drawing the image of Insarov, Turgenev endows his hero not only with a rare mind (not everyone, however, like now, manages to enter Moscow University), but also excellent physical strength and dexterity, vividly describing the scene of protection at the Tsaritsyn pond by Insarov Zoe - Elena's companion from encroachments of a drunken hulk of a German. Love in the novel is constantly opposed to the common cause.

It is much easier for Elena here than for Insarov. She completely surrenders to the power of love and thinks exclusively with her heart. Love inspires her, and under the influence of this great power, Elena blooms. Insarov is much more difficult. He has to split between his chosen one and the main goal of his life. Sometimes, love and a common cause are not quite compatible, and Insarov repeatedly tries to escape from love. However, he does not succeed, and even at the moment of his death Insarov utters two characteristic words: "reseda" - the subtle smell of Elena's perfume and "Randich" - Insarov's compatriot and like-minded person in the fight against the Turkish enslavers. With this opposition, Turgenev is probably trying to convey to the reader that as long as there is injustice in the world, pure love will always have a worthy competitor. And only people themselves can help love to reign supreme over the world, if all of them, in one impulse, stretch out their hands to each other. The ending of the novel is frankly sad and uncertain about its main character.

However, tragic colors, if we consider the novel, exclusively as a very beautiful love story, even more vividly outline the great power that is true love. If, while reading the novel, you feel a symbolic subtext in it and see in Elena the personification of young Russia, which is "on the eve" of great changes, then the sad result of the work can be regarded as a warning to the author about the vulnerability and weakness of a single person, even one such as Insarov, and great strength people united by one idea.

The famous and talented writer Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev is a classic of Russian literature. He is known not only as a writer, but also as a poet, publicist, translator, playwright. His realistic works are still a great asset of Russian literature. Ivan Sergeevich made an enormous contribution to the development of Russian literature in the nineteenth century.

It is known that this wonderful writer succeeded not only in writing, but also became a corresponding member of the famous and prestigious Academy of Sciences, where he received a category in Russian language and literature. In addition, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford, as well as an honorary member of the Metropolitan University. But his main achievements are works, among which six novels stand out. They brought him fame and popularity. One of them is "On the Eve", which was published in 1860.

The history of the creation of the Turgenev novel

Ivan Turgenev, according to the memoirs of his contemporaries, already in the second half of the 1850s began to think about creating in one of his works a completely new hero, who had not yet been in Russian literature before him. This decision came to the writer not so easily, but because the author of the wonderful landscape works was influenced by the Liberal Democrats.

According to Ivan Turgenev's plan, his hero was supposed to reflect the views of the author himself, but be more moderate. This understanding of the creation of a new hero came from the writer much earlier, when he was just starting work on the first novel. And even the female images in his work have become new for modern literature. For example, Elena, about whom the author himself spoke:

"A strong desire for freedom, could surrender."

About the history of the creation of this novel it is known for sure that the manuscript of his autobiography was left to the writer by a neighbor who at that time lived in the neighboring, Mtsensk, district. This event happened to the author around 1855. And that landowner-neighbor turned out to be a certain Vasily Karataev. This officer, while serving in the noble militia, decided not only to leave his manuscript to the writer, but also agreed to Ivan Sergeevich to dispose of it as he pleases.

Of course, Ivan Turgenev read it, and he was interested in the love story that was told in this handwritten notebook. This is how the plot of his novel was born: a young man loves a beautiful and charming girl who chooses another - a Bulgarian. He is just in Moscow, studying at the university.

The main characters of the novel:

✔ Anna Vasilievna Stakhova.
✔ Nikolay Artemyevich Stakhov.

✔ Dmitry Insarov.
✔ Andrey Bersenev.
✔ Pavel Shubin.

As you know, the prototype of this Bulgarian was a certain Nikolai Katranov, who lived in the capital, and then, together with his Russian wife, is trying to return to his homeland, since the Russian-Turkish war began. But soon he dies of consumption, never reaching his hometown.

It is known that the neighbor who gave his manuscript to the writer never returned from the war, as he died of typhus. Ivan Turgenev tried to publish this manuscript, but, from a literary point of view, it was too weak, so after many years he re-reads this notebook again and realizes that he has found a new hero, which he was thinking about at that time.

In 1858, he undertakes an artistic reworking of the plot, which was suggested to him by a neighbor. But, as the writer himself explained, only one scene remained the same, everything else was reworked and changed. Ivan Turgenev also had an assistant - a famous writer, Turgenev's friend and traveler E. Kovalevsky. He was necessary for the author of the novel, as he was well versed in all the details of the liberation movement that took place in Bulgaria.

It is known that the writer wrote his novel not only in the family estate, but also abroad, for example, in London and in other cities. And as soon as he returned to Moscow, he himself delivers the manuscript to the publication of the then-famous magazine "Russian Bulletin".

The plot of the new novel

The plot of Turgenev's novel begins with an argument. Scientist Andrei Bersenev and sculptor Pavel Shubin are participating in it. The topic of their dispute is the nature and place of man in the world around him. Gradually, the author acquaints the reader with the entire family of the sculptor. For example, with a distant relative, aunt Anna Vasilyevna, who does not love her husband at all, as, indeed, he does not love her. Anna Vasilievna's husband met by chance with a German widow and therefore spends most of his time with her. And this is easy to explain: after all, he once married Anna Vasilyevna for the sake of money, and the only thing that unites them is their adult daughter Elena.

Everyone knows that Nikolai Artemyevich's new acquaintance is robbing her quite well. And the sculptor has been living in this family for five years now, since he can only do art here, but most of the time he is lazy. He looks after the companion of the owner's daughter - Zoya, but he is still in love with Elena. But who is she, Elena? She is a young girl, twenty years old, dreamy and kind. She helps those who need help: hungry, sick people and animals. But at the same time, she herself is very lonely. She lives alone, she has no young man yet. She is not at all interested in Shubin, and her friend is only of interest to her for conversation.

Once Bersenev introduces Elena to his acquaintance, Dmitry Insarov, who lives in Russia, but dreams of the liberation of his homeland. The Bulgarian interested Elena, but not at the first meeting. He begins to like it when he protects her from a drunkard who stuck to the girl right on the street. And when the girl falls deeply in love, she finds out that Dmitry is leaving. Andrei tells the girl that he is afraid that his personal passionate feelings for Elena will be able to deprive him of his will to fight for his country. Then the girl herself goes to the young man, confesses her feelings and is now ready to help him in everything and follow him everywhere.

Elena and Dmitry modestly communicate for some time, but Insarova, receiving disturbing and sad letters from her relatives and friends, begins to prepare for departure. And then Elena comes to his house in order to talk seriously about their joint future. After a heated explanation, it was decided to get married. Parents were shocked by her message about her marriage. For them, the news that she was going to foreign lands with her husband was a big blow.

In Venice, they have to stay a little longer, as they expect a ship to go to Serbia, and only then they can get to Bulgaria. But then Dmitry falls ill: he has a fever and temperature. One day Elena has a terrible and terrible dream, and when she wakes up, she sees that her husband is dead. Therefore, only his body is delivered to his homeland. After that, there was another letter to her parents, where Elena wrote that she was going to Bulgaria and wanted to consider this country her new homeland. After that, she disappears, and only rumors are denouncing that she is playing the role of a sister of mercy.

Motives of the Turgenev plot

All the motives, as well as Turgenev's ideas in the novel, were analyzed by the critic Nikolai Dobrolyubov, who approached the plot from a progressive standpoint. The critic notes in the author a special literary sensitivity. This is perfectly manifested in the way Ivan Sergeevich portrays the main character. The critic saw in Elena Stakhova the image of Russia, which is still young and beautiful.

Elena in Turgenev's performance is addressed to the people, from them she takes a dream, seeks the truth. She is also willing to sacrifice herself for someone else. Elena is a wonderful heroine, men like her. The army of her admirers is large: it is an artist, an official, a scientist and even a revolutionary. The girl chooses the revolutionary Insarov, also trying to perform a civil feat. Her chosen one has a lofty goal, which he subordinates all his life. He dreams of happiness for his homeland.

There is another theme in Turgenev's work - this is a conflict of personal interests and sincerity. For example, Barsenev and Shubin argue about what happiness is, what love is, and what can be higher. The more the reader observes the protagonists, the more obvious it becomes that they must make a sacrifice of their love. The author seems to be trying to emphasize that any life on Earth ends tragically. And according to the plot of the novel, it is known that Insarov unexpectedly dies of illness. And Elena dissolves into a crowd of people and no one else knows anything about her.

Criticism and reviews of Ivan Turgenev's novel "On the Eve"

The writer did not accept the position of the critic Nikolai Dobrolyubov on his novel, his interpretation of the general plot and look at the main characters. At the time when the critical article was supposed to be published, Turgenev turned to Nekrasov with a request to stop the review. It is not that the author was afraid of the publication. Ivan Sergeevich was upset by the very fact that the novel had been misunderstood. Therefore, as soon as Nekrasov's Sovremennik magazine came out, the writer decides to break with him forever, since his requests were not heeded. But the criticism of the novel "On the Eve" did not stop there. Soon, another article appeared on the pages of the same Nekrasov magazine, in which there was a negative review of the novel, but already written by Chernyshevsky. No less negative reaction to the content of the novel and its heroes was also from the conservative-minded writers and nobles.

What contemporaries did not write about the published novel. Most of all, the heroine was scolded, believing that she had absolutely no feminine qualities, that she was immoral and empty. The main character also got it, most often he was called dry and schematic.

This greatly upset the author. But time has put everything in its place. The predictions made by the first readers that Nakanune will never have tomorrow did not come true. The novel, written over 150 years ago, is one of the brightest creations of Russian classics, known as a bright and deep work to any contemporary.