A.S. Pushkin managed to overtake his era - he created an absolutely unique work, a novel in verse. The great Russian poet managed to present the image of Eugene Onegin in a very special way. The hero speaks to the reader in a complex and ambiguous way. And its changes are manifested throughout the entire work in dynamics.

Onegin is a representative of high society

Description of Onegin's character in the novel "Eugene Onegin" can begin with the characteristics that A. Pushkin gives to his hero. These are the following "facts": firstly, Onegin is an aristocrat from St. Petersburg. As for his attitude to the people around him and the philosophy of life, the poet describes him as "an egoist and a rake." A similar upbringing was cultivated in the noble environment of that time. Children of high-ranking persons were placed in the care of foreign educators. And by the beginning of their youth, the tutors taught them basic skills, the presence of which can be traced to the main character of Pushkin's work. Onegin was fluent in a foreign language ("and in French absolutely ..."), knew how to dance ("easily danced a mazurka"), and also had well-developed skills of etiquette ("and bowed at ease").

Surface education

At the beginning of the work, Onegin is described through the author's narration. Pushkin writes about the mental illness that befell his hero. Describing Onegin's character in the novel "Eugene Onegin", it can be emphasized: the root cause of this "blues" may well be the conflict that characterized Onegin's relationship with society. Indeed, on the one hand, the main character obeyed the rules established in the noble society; on the other, he internally rebelled against them. It should be noted that although Onegin was well-mannered, this education did not differ in particular depth. “So that the child is not exhausted, he taught him everything in jest,” a tutor from France. In addition, Onegin can be called a seducer. After all, he knew how to "seem new, joking to amaze innocence."

The main features at the beginning of the work

Onegin is a very controversial person. On the one hand, his unattractive character traits are selfishness and cruelty. But on the other hand, Onegin is endowed with a fine mental organization, he is very vulnerable, and has a spirit striving for true freedom. It is these qualities that are most attractive in Onegin. They make him another "hero of our time." Acquaintance with the main character takes place in the first chapter, during his irritated and bilious monologue. The reader sees a “young rake” who sees no value or meaning in anything, feels indifference to everything in the world. Onegin is ironic about his uncle's illness - after all, she tore him away from social life, but for the sake of money he is able to endure "sighs, boredom and deception" for some time.

Onegin's life

Such education was characteristic of the representatives of his circle. At first glance, Onegin's character in Eugene Onegin may seem frivolous. In conversation, Onegin could easily quote several poems or Latin phrases, and his daily life took place in a completely monotonous environment - balls, dinners, visits to theaters. The poet represents the life of the main character of the work by describing Onegin's office, whom he calls "a philosopher at eighteen years old." On the table near the main character, next to Byron, there is a column with a doll, as well as a large number of various toiletries. All this is a tribute to fashion, hobbies, aristocratic habits.

But most of all, the soul of the protagonist is occupied with "the science of tender passion", which can also be mentioned in the description of Onegin's character in the novel "Eugene Onegin". However, after meeting his main character, Pushkin warns readers not to succumb to the temptation to perceive Onegin as a "dummy" - he is not at all like that. All the secular environment and the usual way of life do not cause any enthusiasm in the protagonist. This world bored Onegin.

Blues

The life of the protagonist was completely calm and cloudless. His empty existence was filled with entertainment and worries about his own appearance. The main character is seized by the "English spleen", or Russian blues. Onegin's heart was empty, and his mind finds no use. He was disgusted not only with literary work. The main character takes up the book, however, reading does not give him any pleasure. After all, Onegin became disillusioned with life, and he is not able to believe the book. The protagonist calls the apathy that has taken possession of him "disappointment", eagerly covering himself with the image of Childe Harold.

However, the main character does not want and does not know how to really work. At first, he tries himself as a writer - but does this job "yawning", and soon puts it aside. And such boredom pushes Onegin to travel.

Onegin in the village

In the village, the protagonist again managed to "cheer up". He is happy to observe the beauties of nature, and even makes attempts to make life easier for serfs by replacing heavy corvee with "light tax". However, again Onegin is caught up with his tormentor - boredom. And he discovers that in the village he experiences the same feelings as in the aristocratic capital. Onegin wakes up early, swims in the river, but still he gets bored with this life.

Turning Acquaintance

However, the scenery changes after the main character meets Lensky, and then the Larin sisters who live in the neighborhood. Close interests and good upbringing allow Onegin to get closer to Lensky. The main character draws attention to his older sister, Tatiana. And in her sister, Olga (who was Lensky's beloved), Onegin sees only "the lifelessness of features and souls." Tatiana's character traits in the novel "Eugene Onegin" contrast her with the main character. She is close to the life of the people, despite the fact that she speaks poorly in Russian.

Her best features were brought up by a nanny who gave Tatiana the concept of moral duty, as well as the foundations of the people's worldview. The integrity of Tatiana's character in the novel "Eugene Onegin" is manifested in the courage with which she makes a confession to her beloved, as well as in the nobility of her intentions, fidelity to the conjugal oath. Onegin's rebuke makes her more mature. The heroine changes outwardly, but retains the best qualities of character.

As for the character of Olga in the novel "Eugene Onegin", the poet assigns this heroine a secondary role. She is pretty, but Onegin immediately sees her spiritual emptiness. And this character very quickly evokes rejection from an impressionable reader. In the image of Olga, the great Russian poet expresses his attitude to the windy girls of his era. About their portrait, he says: "I myself loved him before, but he bored me immensely."

The character of Lensky in the novel "Eugene Onegin"

Lensky appears before the reader in the form of a freedom-loving thinker who was educated at one of the European universities. His poetry is fanned by the spirit of romanticism. However, Pushkin hastens to warn the reader that in reality Lensky remains an ignoramus, an ordinary Russian landowner. Although he is cute, he is not overly sophisticated.

The decency of the hero

Onegin rejects Tatyana's feelings. He responds to all her love confessions with a rude rebuke. At this moment in time, Onegin does not need the sincerity and purity of the village girl's feelings. However, Pushkin justifies his hero. Onegin was distinguished by decency and honesty. He did not allow himself to scoff at the feelings of another person, at his naivety and purity. In addition, the reason for Larina's refusal was the coldness of Onegin himself.

Duel with Lensky

The next turning point in revealing Onegin's character is his duel with Lensky. But in this case, Onegin does not show nobility, preferring not to give up the duel, the outcome of which was predetermined. The opinion of society, as well as the perversity of the values ​​that existed in that environment, hung over Onegin's decision like the sword of Damocles. And the protagonist does not open his heart to a sense of true friendship. Lensky dies, and Onegin regards this as his own crime. And the senseless death of a friend awakens the "soul sleep" of the protagonist. The character of Eugene Onegin in the novel "Eugene Onegin" is changing: he realizes how lonely he is, and his attitude to the world takes on different shades.

Re-meeting with Tatiana

Returning to the capital, at one of the balls, the protagonist again meets "the very same Tatiana." And there is no limit to his charm. She is a married woman - but only now Onegin is able to see the kinship of their souls. In his love for Tatiana, he sees the possibility of his spiritual resurrection. In addition, Onegin learns that her love for him is still alive. However, for the main character it turns out to be completely unacceptable the idea of ​​a possible betrayal of her legal husband.

In her soul, a duel takes place between feelings and duty, and it is not resolved in favor of love passions. Tatiana leaves Onegin on her knees alone. And the poet himself also leaves his hero precisely during this scene. How his life will end remains unknown. Studies by literary scholars and historians show that the poet planned to "send" Onegin to the Caucasus, or turn him into a Decembrist. However, this remained a mystery, which was burned along with the final chapter of the work.

The author of the novel and its protagonist

The versatility of the characters in the novel "Eugene Onegin" is revealed in the process of the development of the plot of the poem. Describing the events that took place in the work after Onegin's duel with Lensky, Pushkin includes in the text a small mention of a young city woman. She asks what happened to Olga, where is her sister now, and what happened to Onegin - where is “this gloomy eccentric”? And the author of the work promises to tell about it, but not now. Pushkin deliberately creates the illusion of author's freedom.

This technique can be seen as the idea of ​​a talented storyteller who has a casual conversation with his readers. On the other hand, this is how Pushkin can be characterized as a real master who is fluent in the chosen manner of presenting the work. The author of the work acts as one of the characters in the novel only in relation to Onegin himself. And this indication of personal contacts will set the protagonist apart from other characters. Pushkin mentions a "meeting" with Onegin in the capital, describes the first embarrassment that gripped him during this meeting. Such was the manner of communication of the protagonist - stinging jokes, bile, "the anger of gloomy epigrams." Pushkin also informs the reader about the general plans to see "alien countries" with his main character.

Biography, life story of Eugene Onegin

Eugene Onegin is the protagonist of the novel of the same name in verse.

Character prototype

Many critics and writers tried to identify with whom he wrote the image of Onegin. There were many assumptions - Chaadaev himself ... However, the writer assured that Eugene Onegin is a collective image of the noble youth.

Origins and early years

Eugene Onegin was born in St. Petersburg. He was the last representative of a noble family and the heir to all his relatives.

Evgeny was brought up at home, he tried to get a versatile education, but in the end he got a superficial one. He knew a little Latin, a little facts from world history. However, his studies did not attract him as much as "The science of tender passion"... He preferred to lead an idle and cheerful life, enjoying every minute. He regularly attended social events, theaters and balls, and also was engaged in conquering women's hearts and minds.

Development and disclosure of Onegin's character according to the novel

In the first chapter, Eugene appears before the reader as a spoiled and narcissistic young man, completely devoid of moral principles and the ability to show compassion. When Onegin receives a letter that says about his uncle's illness, he reluctantly gathers to him, regretting only that he will have to leave the social life for a while. In the second chapter, Eugene Onegin becomes a rich heir to his deceased uncle. He is still a merry fellow and a lover of festivities, but thanks to the scenes of Onegin's communication with the serfs, he shows the reader that understanding and sympathy are not at all alien to the hero.

The appearance of Vladimir Lensky, Onegin's new neighbor, helps the reader to see the dark sides of Eugene - envy, rivalry for the sake of rivalry, and not to achieve any goal.

In the third chapter of the novel, the writer begins a love story. Eugene Onegin visits the Larins' house and conquers one of the master's daughters Tatiana. Tatiana, who is in love, writes touching letters to Eugene with declarations of love, but does not receive an answer. In the fourth chapter, Tatiana and Eugene still meet. Onegin assures Tatyana that if he dreamed of creating a strong family, he would certainly take her as his wife, but such a life is not for him. Eugene advises Tatiana to come to terms with fate and overcome her feelings. Tatiana is left alone with her painful love.

CONTINUED BELOW

Three years later, Eugene Onegin meets Tatyana Larina in St. Petersburg. From an awkward girl, Tatyana has turned into a beautiful woman, charming and incredibly attractive. Eugene falls madly in love with the one that many years ago could have saved him from himself and from the evil that lives inside him. However, now Tatiana is the wife of a noble general. Eugene confesses his love to Tatiana and throws her romantic letters. At the end of the novel, Tatiana admits that she also has tender feelings for Eugene, but her heart is given to another. Eugene Onegin remains completely alone and confused. At the same time, it gives Onegin a clear understanding that no one is to blame for her current situation and condition, except for himself. Awareness of mistakes comes, but - alas! - too late.

The novel ends with a dialogue between Tatyana and Onegin. But the reader can understand that the future life of Eugene is unlikely to be radically different from the way he lived throughout the novel. Eugene Onegin is a contradictory person, he is smart, but at the same time devoid of self-righteousness, does not like people, but at the same time suffers without approval. In the first chapter of the novel, Pushkin speaks of his hero as follows: "He was sick of hard work."... It is because of this feature of his that dreams of another life will remain only dreams for Onegin.

Before us is an eighteen-year-old young aristocrat with a rich inheritance, which he received from his uncle. Onegin was born into a wealthy but ruined noble family. Caring for a seriously ill uncle is called "low cunning", since Eugene is bored to be in the village and tiresome to take care of a relative.

Onegin's education and upbringing was not serious: "at first Madame followed him," the Frenchman "taught him everything in jest." In the opinion of the world, Onegin is "a scholar, but a pedant," however, "He had a happy talent ... to touch everything slightly with a learned air of a connoisseur." A.S. Pushkin speaks about the level of education of the nobles of the 20s of the 20th century as follows: "We all learned a little something and somehow."

But more than all other disciplines of Onegin was occupied with the "science of tender passion." He could seem at the same time indifferent and attentive, gloomy, gloomy and eloquent, languid, he knew how to amuse the ladies, slander rivals and be friends with the husbands of his beloved. Only all this is a game of love, its image. "How early could he be a hypocrite" - says the author about the feelings of the hero. The main qualities that can be used to describe Onegin from the first chapter of the novel are indifference, indifference to everything that happens, frivolity. The hero is not interested in the suffering and experiences of other people.

The author attaches great importance to the image of Onegin's daily routine: waking up in the afternoon, with invitations to social events, a walk along the boulevard, visiting a theater, a ball, returning home in the morning. For Onegin, his appearance is very important, the hero spends about three hours a day in front of a mirror: "He is cut in the latest fashion, like a dandy Londoner is dressed." The hero follows fashion, dresses stylishly in everything exquisite and foreign, mainly English and French. Fashion condemns to a superficial attitude to everything, therefore, following the fashion, the hero cannot be himself.

Onegin's theatrical performances are not interesting, he visits them only for the sake of observing secular etiquette: "I bowed to men from all sides, then looked at the stage in great distraction, turned away - and yawned." Eugene Onegin is surrounded by women, friends, famous people of the art sphere, and he believes that it will always be so. Having danced and tired at the balls, Onegin returns home, but tomorrow the same thing is repeated: sleep until noon, invitations and balls.

The hero lived like this for about eight years. On the one hand, life is colorful, on the other - gray, monotonous and empty. And such a life quickly bored the hero, and soon lost interest in life in general: "the Russian blues took possession of him little by little," "nothing touched him, he did not notice anything." Thus, the literate and outstanding Onegin could not change his lifestyle, because the secular society is stronger and requires adherence to etiquette.

In the first chapter, the author's attitude to the hero is noticeable: Pushkin calls Onegin "my good friend" and talks about how he made friends with him, spent time on the Neva embankment, talks about how they shared memories with each other, discussed young ladies. However, Pushkin assesses all the positive qualities of his hero with irony.

So, based on the analysis of the first chapter of the novel, we can conclude that Onegin is shown contradictory: a talented, outstanding young man who has not received a systematic education, wants love, but treats feelings frivolously, knows how to behave in society and lives an active life, but misses the light. Onegin is subordinate to society, but forced to live in it. The habitual pretense is tired, irritating. Words by P. Ya. Vyazemsky is aptly characterized by the hero: “And he is in a hurry to live and in a hurry to feel”, but Onegin still does not know how to live by the true values.

The protagonist of the novel is a young landowner Eugene Onegin, a man with a complex, contradictory character. The upbringing that Onegin received was disastrous. He grew up without a mother. The father, a frivolous Petersburg master, did not pay attention to his son, entrusting him to the "poor" tutors. As a result, Onegin grew up as an egoist, a person who cares only about himself, about his desires and who does not know how to pay attention to the feelings, interests, suffering of other people. He is able to offend, offend a person without even noticing it. Everything beautiful that was in the soul of a young man remained undeveloped. Onegin's life is boredom and laziness, monotonous satisfaction in the absence of real, lively work.

The image of Onegin is not invented. In it, the poet summarized the features, typical images for young people of that time. These are people provided for at the expense of work and serfs who received a disorderly upbringing. But unlike most members of the ruling class, these young men are smarter, more sensitive, more conscientious, and nobler. They are dissatisfied with themselves, their surroundings, social structure.

Onegin, in terms of views and demands for life, stands above not only his rural neighbors, landowners, but also representatives of the St. Petersburg high society. Having met with Lensky, who graduated from the best university in Germany, Onegin could argue with him on any topic as an equal. Friendship with Lensky opens up in Onegin's soul, hidden behind a mask of cold selfishness and indifference, the possibilities of true, friendly relations between people.

Seeing Tatyana for the first time, not even talking to her, not hearing her voice, he immediately felt the poetry of the soul of this girl. In relation to Tatyana, as well as to Lensky, such a trait of his as benevolence was revealed. Under the influence of the events depicted in the novel, evolution takes place in Eugene's soul, and in the last chapter of the novel, Onegin is not at all the same as we saw him before. He fell in love with Tatiana. But his love does not bring happiness, neither to him, nor to her.

In the novel Eugene Onegin, Pushkin portrayed a frivolous young man who, even in love, cannot give himself advice. Escaping from the world, Onegin was unable to escape from himself. When he realized this, it was already too late. Tatiana doesn't believe him now. And this opens Onegin's eyes to himself, but nothing changes.

The image of Lensky in the novel "Eugene Onegin"

Another path followed by the noble intelligentsia of the 20s of the XIX century is revealed in the image of Lensky. This is the path of passion for philosophical teachings fashionable at that time and dreamy romantic poetry divorced from life:
There are many excellent inclinations in Lenskoye. Pushkin points to the inherent in Lensky "noble aspiration and feelings and thoughts of young, tall, gentle, daring", "thirst for knowledge and work and fear of vice and shame."
But Lensky lacks knowledge and understanding of reality. "A dear ignoramus with his heart", he perceives people and life as a romantic dreamer. Like Onegin, the society of the provincial nobility is alien to him with narrow interests, but he idealizes Olga, an ordinary girl. Misunderstanding of people, enthusiastic dreaminess lead Lensky to a tragic end at the very first encounter with reality.
Lensky is an educated, cultured person. In his conversations with Onegin, philosophical, social and scientific issues are raised. Pushkin notes his "freedom-loving dreams." Lensky is a poet, a sentimental romantic. In stanza X of the second chapter, Pushkin lists the main motives of Lensky's poetry, and in stanzas XXI and XXII of the sixth chapter, he cites his elegy as an example of romantic poetry.
The motives that Pushkin notes in Lensky's poetry are close to Zhukovsky and other poets - sentimental romantics of that time. The motives of "love, sadness, separation", the mysterious "something", the glorification of the "faded color of life", "foggy distance" and "romantic roses" are typical of Zhukovsky's poetry.
Romantics like Lensky cannot resist the blows of life: they either reconcile themselves with the prevailing way of life, or die at the first encounter with reality. Lensky died. But if he had remained alive, then most likely he would have turned into an ordinary landowner-philistine. He would hardly have become a major poet: this was not promised by the "languid and languid" poetry of Lensky.

Tatiana is the embodiment of everything Russian, national. This is a discreet and pure, but deep nature. She is not like all society girls. Her characterization is given as if from the opposite, Pushkin says what is not in it - there is no coquetry, coquetry, insincerity in it. Pushkin explains how such two dissimilar sisters were born in the same family. It turns out that since childhood Tatyana was different from her peers. She preferred solitude to games, reading to dolls, and she also surprisingly feels and understands nature. This sensitivity makes Tatiana closer to the common people than to the secular society. The basis of her world is folk culture. The episode with fortune-telling and Tatiana's sleep shows how much intuitive she has. At the same time, Tatiana is somewhat similar to Onegin - the desire for loneliness, the desire to understand herself and understand life. But she also has the features of Lensky - belief in perfect happiness, love, the creation of a cute image.

Pushkin's novel "Eugene Onegin" (see its full text and summary by chapter) is of great importance not only in the history of the Russian novel, but also as a work of autobiographical significance. The image of the hero formed in the imagination of the author when he was already quite negative about Byronism. But in Pushkin's memory were still fresh memories of his recent infatuation with the English poet. And so, according to his confession, he writes a "satirical work" in which he aims to ridicule "Muscovites in Harold's raincoats", that is, young men of his day, posing as disappointed Byronic heroes. Pushkin himself sinned with this until recently, and did not hide this weakness in his novel.

Scolded Homer, Theocritus;
But I read Adam Smith
And there was a deep economy,
That is, he knew how to judge
As the state gets richer
And how he lives, and why
He doesn't need gold
When a simple product has.

It was "fashionable", it was a sign of "good form" ...

But this was not what filled his social life. Catching women's hearts, this is what Eugene was especially diligent in doing. And here his success awaited. Pushkin helps us understand where Onegin got his knowledge from:

It is not nature that teaches us about love ...
We want to know life in advance
And we recognize her in the novel ...
Onegin experienced it.

And Pushkin points out which romantic hero was Onegin's model: this richardsonian Lovelace, "the winner of women's hearts". The goal of his life is "to conquer women's hearts." For this, Onegin developed a special tactics, studied the psychology of the female heart: easy victories are not interesting to him; he loved "hard fighting"; this is a kind of "sport" for him ...

How early could he be a hypocrite
Conceal hope, be jealous
Reassure, make you believe
To seem gloomy, to languish,
Be proud and obedient
Attentive il indifferent!
How languid he was silent,
How ardently eloquent
How careless in letters of heart!

Onegin's blues

Onegin's life was rolling, cloudless and calm, an environment of all kinds of pleasures theaters, balls, dinners in a fashionable restaurant, worries about appearance and costume filled his empty and vulgar existence. Fate endowed Onegin with "mind" and "heart", without giving him any education or upbringing, without indicating the outcome of his mental strength. From such a discrepancy between the wealth of forces and the scarcity of the content of the soul, discord arose in him, and it is no wonder that he soon got tired and bored:

Early feelings in him cooled down,
He was bored with the noise of the light,
The beauties were not long
The subject of his usual thoughts.
They managed to tire of treason,
Friends and friendship are tired
And, although he was an ardent rake,
But he finally fell out of love
And abuse, and saber, and lead.

And so, he was possessed by the "English spleen", or the Russian blues, and besides, the fashion in high society has changed, and "Lovelace's fame has decayed." Then he changed the imitation of Lovelace to imitate Childe Harold, began to "play an eccentric."

He shot himself, thank God
I didn't want to try
But he completely lost interest in life.
Like Child-Harold, sullen, languid
He would appear in the drawing-rooms;
No gossip of the world, no boston,
Neither a sweet look, nor an immodest sigh,
Nothing touched him
He did not notice anything.

The heart was empty, the mind was idle. Onegin tried, it was, to take up literature, but hard work was sick of him, and he threw down his pen. Onegin took up the book, but he was not accustomed to "read", moreover, when he lost faith in life, he could not believe the book.

I set a shelf with a detachment of books,
I read, read, but everything is useless:
There is boredom, there is deception or delirium;
There is no sense in that conscience;
On all different chains;
And the old days are outdated,
And the old are raving about novelty.
As women, he left books
And the shelf, with their dusty family,
I pulled it up with mourning taffeta.

Onegin considered his "blues" and "apathy", the result of exhaustion and emptiness of the soul, "disappointment" and willingly covered himself with the then fashionable cloak of Childe Harold. No wonder of all the books he read only the works of Byron:

Yes, there are two or three more novels with him,
In which the century was reflected,
And modern man
Depicted quite right,
With his wicked soul
Self-loving and dry
A devotee's dream is immeasurable;
With his embittered mind
Boiling in action, empty.

Onegin was a prominent representative of the "semi-education" that was so characteristic of the then Russian society. The mind did not allow Onegin to merge with this society for the rest of his life, but he did not know how to look for the goals of being outside this society. And, as a result, in his person the first example of "superfluous person" appeared in Russian literature.

The book was discarded, and Eugene remained helpless in life, "without a rudder" and "without sails", with a "sharp, chilled mind", a strange dreamer without a purpose in life, gloomy with complaints about the malice of blind fortune, with contempt for people, with caustic speeches.

He who lived and thought cannot
In my heart do not despise people;
He who felt worries
The ghost of unrecoverable days:
There are no charms for that,
That snake of memories
That one gnaws at remorse.

He almost set off to travel, but the news of the village uncle's fatal illness summoned him to the village.

Suddenly he really got
A report from the steward,
That uncle is dying in bed
And I would be glad to say goodbye to him.
After reading the sad message,
Eugene immediately on a date
The headlong galloped by mail
And he yawned in advance ...

In the village of Onegin, at first he was interested in the novelty of life, the beauties of a quiet nature, unusual for him. He became interested, it was, in the fate of his serfs, and made their existence easier by replacing the "old corvée" with "light rent", but soon he got bored here too and led a secluded life, alienating his neighbors from himself with misanthropy. The naive villagers in their assessment of the hero were not as condescending as the St. Petersburg "light", they recognized Onegin as a free-thinker ("freemason", that is, Frank-Freemason), and "ignorant".

Read about the further fate of Onegin in the articles