Roman I.S. Turgenev's "Fathers and Sons" was completed in 1862. In this work, the writer touched upon deep political, philosophical and aesthetic problems, captured real life conflicts, and revealed the essence of the ideological struggle between the main social forces in Russia in the early 60s of the 19th century. The central figure of the novel is the commoner democrat Yevgeny Bazarov.
At the first meeting of Bazarov with the rest of the heroes of the novel, the author introduces us appearance a young man. The hero’s clothing, manners and behavior indicate that he belongs to the common people, and that he is proud of this, and does not intend to comply with the rules of etiquette of the aristocratic nobility. This is a man of firm and uncompromising convictions, a man of action. Bazarov is a nihilist. He is an experimenter, passionate about science and medicine, and works tirelessly. Bazarov is dismissive of art and human feelings: “Raphael is not worth a penny.” does not recognize the beauty of nature: “Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it.” The hero does not believe in love, denies its existence, claims that this is all “romanticism” or “nonsense.” He believes that there is no love, but only physiology or “the needs of the body.”
Before meeting Odintsova, Bazarov is a man of sober and deep intelligence, confident in his abilities, proud and purposeful. He defends the ideas of nihilism, argued with Pavel Petrovich, admitting that the main task of the nihilists is to destroy everything old in order to “clear the place,” and building is not their business. Having the ability to influence other people, he suppresses them with his knowledge, logic and will.
But as soon as Bazarov’s relationship with Odintsova begins to develop, the author shows how the hero changes. At first, Odintsova was attracted to Bazarov only externally, as he puts it “physiologically”: “What kind of figure is this? She doesn’t look like other women,” “she has such shoulders as I haven’t seen for a long time.” But as their close communication progresses, Bazarov can no longer maintain his usual restraint and self-control, and is completely immersed in thoughts about Anna Sergeevna. Odintsova herself tried to choose topics for conversations that were interesting to Bazarov, and supported them, which could not but influence the relationship between the characters. The author speaks about the changes that took place in the hero as follows: “In Bazarov, whom Anna Sergeevna obviously favored, although she rarely agreed with him, an unprecedented anxiety began to appear: he was easily irritated, spoke reluctantly, looked angry, and could not sit still, as if Something was bothering him."
For Bazarov himself, love for Odintsova became a serious test of his loyalty to nihilistic ideals. He deeply experienced what he himself rejected: “in conversations with Anna Sergeevna, more and more than before, he expressed his indifferent contempt for everything romantic, and when left alone, he was indignantly aware of the romanticism in himself.” Having challenged Bazarov to be frank, Odintsova rejected his love. She liked him: “He struck Odintsova’s imagination: he occupied her, she thought a lot about him.” But her usual way of life and comfort were more valuable to her than her fleeting passion for Yevgeny Bazarov.
Unhappy love leads Bazarov to a severe mental crisis. The beliefs of nihilism conflict with his human essence. At this moment, the hero no longer sees the goal, the meaning of living. He goes to his parents because of idleness, and in order to distract himself, he begins to help his father in his medical practice. An accidental infection with typhus led to the death of his body, but not his soul; the soul in him had long since died, unable to pass the test of love.
Thus, Turgenev showed the inconsistency of Bazarov’s position. In his novel he debunks the theory of nihilism. Human nature is meant to love, admire, feel, live life to the fullest. By denying all this, a person dooms himself to death. We see this in the example of the fate of Yevgeny Bazarov.

I. S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons” gave rise to many articles, poetic and prose parodies, epigrams, and caricatures. The main object of controversy was the image central character novel by Evgeny Bazarov. Disagreements reached extremes. The disputes continued for many years, and their passion did not weaken. Obviously, the problems of the novel remained topical for subsequent generations.

In the novel, with exceptional poignancy, characteristic the talent of Turgenev, who, according to his contemporaries, had a special instinct for guessing the emerging movement in society. The topicality of the novel lay not only in the depiction of a new person, but also in the fact that Turgenev captured pictures of the acute, irreconcilable struggle of social camps hostile to each other - “fathers” and “children”. In fact, it was a struggle between liberals and revolutionary democrats.

The breath of the era, its typical features are palpable in central images the novel and the historical background against which the action takes place. The period of preparation for the peasant reform, the deep social contradictions of that time, the struggle of social forces in the era of the 60s - this is what was reflected in the images of the novel, constituted its historical background and the essence of its main conflict.

The amazing laconicism of Turgenev’s style is striking: all this enormous material fits into the framework of a very small novel. The writer does not give detailed canvases, broad pictures, does not introduce large number actors. He selects only the most characteristic, the most essential.

The image of Bazarov occupies a central place in the novel. Of the 28 chapters, Bazarov does not appear in only two, in the rest he is the main thing actor. All the main characters of the novel are grouped around him, revealed in their relationships with him, and highlight certain features of his appearance more sharply and more clearly. At the same time, the novel does not highlight the hero’s life story. Only one period of this history is taken, only its turning points.

Artistic detail- accurate, impressive - helps the writer to briefly and convincingly tell about people, about the life of the country in one of the turning points in its history.

With precise strokes, using meaningful details, Turgenev depicts the crisis of the serfdom economy. Having introduced us to his heroes, the writer sketches a picture of the life of the people. We see “villages with low huts under dark, often half-swept roofs” (“villages”, “huts” - the very form of these words speaks of a meager, beggarly life). It can be assumed that hungry cattle have to be fed straw from the roofs. This comparison also says a lot: “like beggars in rags, roadside willows stood with stripped bark and broken branches.” Peasant cows, “emaciated, rough, as if gnawed,” greedily nibble the first grass. And here are the men themselves - “worn out, on bad nags.” Their economy is meager, miserable - “crooked threshing sheds”, “empty threshing floors”...

Turgenev will no longer depict the poverty of the people, but the picture of the hungry pre-reform village that appeared before us at the beginning of the novel makes such a strong impression that there is nothing to add to it. And immediately a bitter thought arises: “No... this poor region, it does not amaze you with either contentment or hard work; it’s impossible, he can’t stay like this, transformations are necessary... but how to carry them out, how to start?..”

This question worries the heroes of the novel. Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov talks “about upcoming government measures, about committees, about deputies, about the need to start cars...”. Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov places his hopes on the wisdom of the government and the patriarchal morals of the people's community.

But we feel: the people themselves do not trust the landowners, are hostile to them, rebellious forces are accumulating within them, and the gulf between serfs and serf owners is deepening. How typical are Nikolai Petrovich’s complaints about hired workers, about freed employees, about peasants who do not want to pay quitrent; and how alienated and unfriendly they greet the young master in Maryino (“the crowd of servants did not pour out onto the porch”).

The picture of pre-reform Russia is completed by the author’s bitter, as if inadvertently dropped remark: “Nowhere does time fly as fast as in Russia; in prison, they say, it runs even faster.”

And against the background of this poverty, slave, unsettled life, the mighty figure of Bazarov emerges. This is a man of the new generation, which has replaced the “fathers” who were unable to solve the main problems of the era.

The conflict of generations, the problem of mutual understanding between fathers and children, complex relationships and disagreements that arise between them - all these problems have always existed and have always attracted the attention of writers of different eras.

In the composition of Turgenev's novels, the ideological disputes of the heroes, their painful reflections, and passionate speeches always play a huge role. Usually, in a dispute, either the beginning of a romance is formed, or the struggle of the parties reaches a climactic intensity. Turgenev begins the novel “Fathers and Sons” with a depiction of a family conflict between father and son Kirsanov and goes further to clashes of a social and political nature. The stability and strength of society is always tested by family and family relationships. Father-son relations are not limited only to blood kinship, but extend further to the “son’s” attitude towards the past, present and future of their country, to those historical and moral values which children inherit. “Fatherhood” also presupposes the love of the older generation for the youth who are replacing them, tolerance and wisdom, reasonable advice and condescension. But often misunderstandings arise between the older and younger generations, and the “fundamentals” of existence are violated—“nepotism” in connections between people. The essence of the conflict between fathers and children lies in the very nature of things, the nature human consciousness. The drama is that human progress occurs through a succession of mutually exclusive generations. But nature softens this drama with the power of filial and parental love. The conflict between father and son Kirsanov at the beginning of the novel is cleared of political and social complications; its generic essence is presented in it. It seems that there is an insurmountable gulf between father and son, which means that there is the same gulf between “fathers” and “children” in the broad sense.

The conflict in the novel “Fathers and Sons” is not limited to family spheres, of course. The entire action of the novel is a chain of conflicts, in the center of which stands the main character, Bazarov. Turgenev knew how to guess emerging phenomena in his contemporary society. He was able to notice the emergence of people with new outlooks on life - commoners, and depicted in his work a hero of his time - a representative younger generation commoners Evgeny Bazarov. The writer wanted to realistically portray Russian reality, the eternal struggle between old and new. And he succeeded in this largely thanks to the composition of the novel. Turgenev showed best representatives nobility and commoners, depicted a person in diverse and complex connections with other people, with society, touching on both social and moral conflicts.

In the novel, not only representatives of different social groups, but also different generations. The dispute is between liberals, who were Turgenev and his closest friends, and revolutionary democrats like Chernyshevsky and Dobrolyubov (Dobrolyubov partly served as the prototype for the main character Yevgeny Bazarov). The central place in the novel is occupied by the conflict of ideological opponents: Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov, a representative of the “fathers,” and Evgeny Bazarov, a representative of the “children,” a new type of people. Their disputes reveal the ossification and selfishness of Pavel Petrovich and the intolerance and arrogance of Bazarov. The position of the educated liberal Pavel Petrovich is in many ways close to the author.

His “principles” (“principles” in the French manner) and “authorities” are a sign of respect and trust in the experience of past generations. But he is not able to pay paternal attention to the mental demands and concerns of the “children.” For Turgenev, one of the decisive criteria in determining a personality was how this personality relates to modernity, to the life around him. Representatives of the “fathers” - Pavel Petrovich and Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov - do not understand and do not accept what is happening around them. Pavel Petrovich, obsessed with class arrogance and pride, stubbornly clings to the principles he learned in his youth, reveres the old authorities, and Nikolai Petrovich understands in modern times only that which threatens his peace. Bazarov is an extreme individualist. He mercilessly denies morality, love, poetry, all feelings. In the novel he is characterized as a nihilist: “From the Latin nihil, nothing... therefore, this word means a person who... recognizes nothing.” The figure of Yevgeny Bazarov appears in the novel against the backdrop of a wide panorama village life, a world on the brink of social catastrophe, shown in the first chapters of the novel. This technique helps to connect nihilism with popular discontent and social ill-being. His nihilism feeds on the underlying ferment of popular discontent and is therefore strong.

Bazarov is right to a certain extent: any truths and authorities must be tested by doubt, but at the same time one must have a filial attitude towards the culture of the past. Bazarov falls into a nihilistic denial of all historical values. He is strong in criticizing the conservatism of Pavel Petrovich and the idle talk of Russian liberals. But the hero goes too far in his hatred of the “damned barchuks.” The denial of “your” art develops into the denial of all art, the denial of “your” love - into the assertion that love is a “feigned feeling”, that everything in it is easily explained by physiological attraction, the denial of “your” class principles - into the destruction of any principles and authorities, the denial of sentimental-noble love for the people - in disdain for the peasant in general. Breaking with the "Barchuks", Bazarov challenges enduring values culture, putting oneself in a tragic situation.

As the action progresses, the circle of people Bazarov encounters expands. But everything that arises conflict situations are aimed at testing the strength of Bazarov’s character and his views. Turgenev does not criticize the actions of the hero, but simply tells about his life. A democrat-commoner with a new materialistic worldview and new practical demands for life - Bazarov is shown by Turgenev in contact with an environment alien to him. This situation, constantly and acutely aware of Bazarov, serves as a psychological motivation for revealing certain sides in the character of the hero: his gloomy restraint, hostile distrust, contemptuous mockery, callousness, dryness and rudeness. Bazarov contemptuously calls nobles who have never worked anywhere “barchuks.” He keeps to himself, humbles his impulses, constantly suppresses attempts at rapprochement and mutual understanding on the part of Odintsova and the Kirsanov brothers. The author, with seemingly inconspicuous strokes, inserts, and remarks, emphasizes the monotonous “wolf” in Bazarov’s moods.

Turgenev created a complete and internally independent character. Bazarov - young poor man, the son of a doctor who received nobility through his service. This is a strong personality, not susceptible to other people’s influence, who defends his views on life. His character is characterized by strength, independence, energy, and great potential for revolutionary work. Bazarov is an adherent of a new trend - nihilism, that is, he is “... a person who does not bow to any authorities, who does not accept a single principle on faith, no matter how respectful this principle may be.” Bazarov denies nature as a source of aesthetic pleasure, as an object of delight.

“Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it,” says the hero. He studies nature, knows it down to the smallest detail, even loves it in his own way, but recognizes it only with practical side life. Bazarov also denies art, believing that it is a “pale copy of reality.” He disdains the classics, for example, Pushkin, and says about the great artist that “Raphael is not worth a penny.” And this is due to his excessive passion for the natural sciences. At the same time, Bazarov denies science, but only contemplative science. He is an enemy of abstract concepts, but believes in real, concrete science that can benefit society. Pisarev wrote: “He will do it either in order to give his brain work, or in order to squeeze out of it direct benefit for himself and for others.” It seems to Bazarov that with the help of natural sciences all questions relating to complex problems can be easily resolved public life, unravel all the mysteries of existence. He considers the spiritual sophistication of a love feeling to be romantic nonsense, and the feeling of compassion as a weakness, an anomaly, denied by the “natural” laws of nature.

Turgenev reveals the inner appearance of the main character through a portrait, through a description of appearance and behavior, using the techniques of secret psychology. Bazarov does not pay any attention to his appearance and is therefore dressed casually. Looking at his red hands, you can understand that he knows what work is. His broad forehead speaks of intelligence. The fact that he did not immediately shake hands when meeting Nikolai Petrovich speaks of his pride, self-esteem, and self-confidence. But when talking with people, he behaves rather rudely: he answers questions reluctantly and shows his disdain for his interlocutor. With this deliberate disdain in words and actions, the hero denies the rules accepted in secular society. By his actions, in particular, by presenting himself as Evgeny Vasiliev, Bazarov emphasizes his closeness to the people. He has “...a special ability to arouse trust in himself among lower people...”, although he was still far from the people.

Turgenev rewarded Bazarov with irony, which he uses in a very varied way: irony for Bazarov is a means of separating himself from a person whom he does not respect, or “correcting” a person whom he has not yet given up on. He is ironic about both his actions and his behavior. Bazarov’s character contains strength, independence, energy, and great potential abilities for revolutionary causes.

Bazarov has high moral qualities and a noble soul. So, in a duel with Kirsanov, instead of using the remaining bullet to kill his opponent, Bazarov renders him medical care. An anxious and vulnerable heart beats in the chest of a self-confident and sharp-looking hero. The extreme harshness of his attacks on poetry and love makes one doubt the complete sincerity of the denial. There is a certain duality in Bazarov’s behavior, which will turn into a breakdown by the end of the novel.

Bazarov denies feelings: “And what is this mysterious relationship between a man and a woman?.. This is all romanticism, nonsense, rottenness of the “arts.” According to Pisarev, Bazarov has “an ironic attitude towards feelings of all kinds, towards daydreaming, towards lyrical impulses, towards outpourings...”. And this is his tragedy. Bazarov believes that love is nonsense, unnecessary in a person’s life. But despite all his judgments, he falls in love with Odintsova and turns out to be capable of sincere, deep feelings. Significant changes are taking place in his soul, which even contradict some of his principles. The conflict of the work from the external (Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich) at this moment is transferred to the internal (“fatal duel” in Bazarov’s soul). Love for Odintsova is the beginning of tragic retribution for the arrogant Bazarov: it splits the hero’s soul into two halves. From now on, two people live and act in it. One of them is a convinced opponent of romantic feelings, denying the spiritual foundations of love. Another - passionately and spiritually loving person. Odintsova wants, but cannot love Bazarov, not only because she is an aristocrat, a pampered lady, but also because this nihilist, having fallen in love, does not want love and runs away from it. He himself destroys this love. Their relationship doesn't work out. And Bazarov, seeing the futility of his hopes, retreats, maintaining his self-esteem. Turgenev, with this whole story, wants to show that in a person’s life the natural course of life wins, that love stands above any ideas. The writer shows the victory of this feeling over any person, over any fate.

Irreconcilable contradictions are revealed in the character of the hero. The questions that arose before him about the meaning of life, refuting his previous, simplified view of man and the world, are not trifles. This is how the hero’s deep crisis of faith in the unchanging essence of man begins. Love for Odintsova awakened disturbing doubts in Bazarov: maybe every person is a mystery? These questions make him spiritually richer, more generous and more humane, “romanticism” is manifested in him, which he is trying to get rid of, but which nevertheless appears before Bazarov’s death, when medicine and the natural sciences, idolized by him, could not help him, but were denied them, but the feelings stored at the bottom of the soul restored the integrity and fortitude of the spirit of the dying hero.

The scene of Bazarov's death is the most powerful scene in the novel. The hero dies in the prime of his creative and physical strength without living even a third of his life. Before death, he does not fall into hysterics, does not lose self-esteem, but tries to maintain clarity of thought until last minute, gathers his last strength to say goodbye to everyone he loved. He thinks not about himself, but about his parents, preparing them for a terrible end. Almost like Pushkin, he says goodbye to his beloved. Love for a woman, love for parents merge in the consciousness of the dying Bazarov with love for his homeland. He died firmly and calmly. Bazarov's death is tragic, since this intelligent and courageous man with noble goals lived his life meaninglessly. Turgenev does not find a creative creative force in nihilism. He forces the hero to die because he does not see the continuation of his activities. But the writer admitted that the last word remains with Bazarov that his time will come.

I. S. Turgenev said about his work: “Bazarov is my favorite brainchild.” But still, the writer’s assessment is very contradictory. Throughout the novel, he argues compositionally with his hero. In disputes with Pavel Petrovich, Bazarov turns out to be morally stronger, but the lack of independence of his nihilism is proven by the entire artistic construction of the novel. Bazarov turns away from nature - Turgenev creates the most beautiful poetic images of Russian nature, and ends his work with a description of nature in the cemetery where his hero is buried, thereby showing that, despite the death of Bazarov, nature is alive, beauty is eternal. Bazarov denies the close ties of parents with their children - the author describes scenes of parental love; Bazarov shuns life - the author shows life in all its glory; the hero renounces love and does not value friendship - Turgenev shows Arkady’s friendly feelings and his love for Katya. In a philosophical conversation between Bazarov and Odintsova, the hero said: “Correct society, and there will be no diseases.” Putting into Bazarov’s mouth words propagating one of the main theses of revolutionary-democratic enlightenment, Turgenev psychologically immediately reduces this preaching of advanced ideas by indicating the complete indifference with which Bazarov treats how they will understand what he says: “Bazarov said all this with such an appearance, as if at the same time he was thinking to himself: “Believe me or not, it’s all the same to me!”

Turgenev did not like people like Bazarov. The writer does not agree with the hero’s judgment about art, science, love - about eternal values, with its pervasive skepticism. But moral qualities, which Bazarov possesses, he is attracted, the writer understands that his hero is the future. The author put into his mouth some statements consonant with own mood. He even admitted: “With the exception of Bazarov’s views on art, I share almost all of his beliefs.” It is no coincidence that Bazarov came out as a truly tragic figure. And the absurd death - from a cut finger - is accepted by Bazarov with the dignity of a victim of fate.

Turgenev began writing the novel from the perspective of “fathers,” but over time his plan undergoes changes, and the writer begins to look at what is happening from the point of view of “children.” As the writer himself said: “I wanted to flog the children, but I flogged the fathers.” He understood that the existence of representatives of the older generation - the Kirsanov brothers, Odintsova, Bazarov's parents - was meaningless. Their limited judgment, lethargy, reluctance to any changes, habit of internal comfort - all this does not bring any benefit to the state or the people. But Turgenev also does not see the continuation of Bazarov’s activities. This is the tragedy of the situation.

The greatest creation of the master of psychology I.S. Turgenev. He created his novel at a turning point, when progressive people of society were interested in the future of Russia, and writers were interested in the search for a hero of the time. Bazarov (the characterization of this character clearly demonstrates what the most developed youth of that time was like) is central character of the novel, all the threads of the narrative come down to it. He is the one bright representative new generation. Who is he?

General characteristics (appearance, occupation)

As a writer-psychologist, Turgenev thought through everything to the smallest detail. One of the ways to characterize a character is the hero's appearance. Bazarov has a high forehead, which is a sign of intelligence, and narrow lips, which speak of arrogance and arrogance. However, the hero’s clothing plays a big role. Firstly, it shows that Bazarov is a representative of the raznochintsy democrats (the younger generation opposed to the older generation of liberal aristocrats of the 40s). He is dressed in a long black robe with tassels. He is wearing loose trousers made of coarse fabric and a simple shirt - this is how Bazarov is dressed. The image turned out to be more than telling. He does not chase fashion trends; moreover, he despises the elegance of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov, whose appearance is completely opposite. Simplicity in clothing is one of the principles of the nihilists, whose position the hero took, so he feels closer to the common people. As the novel shows, the hero really manages to get close to ordinary Russian people. Bazarov is loved by the peasants, and the children of the courtyards follow on his heels. By occupation, Bazarov (characteristics of the hero in terms of profession) is a doctor. And who else could he be? After all, all his judgments are based on German materialism, where a person is considered only as a system in which its own physical and physiological laws operate.

Bazarov's Nihilism

Bazarov, whose character is certainly one of the most striking in the literature of the 19th century, adhered to one of the most popular teachings of the time - nihilism, which means “nothing” in Latin. The hero does not recognize any authorities, does not bow to any life principles. The main thing for him is science and knowledge of the world through experience.

External conflict in the novel

As noted above, Turgenev’s novel is multifaceted; two levels of conflict can be distinguished in it: external and internal. At the external level, the conflict is represented by disputes between Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov and Evgeny Bazarov.

Disputes with Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov concern different sides human life. Bazarov is most irreconcilable in relation to art, primarily poetry. He sees in her only empty and useless romanticism. The second thing the characters dialogue about is nature. For people like Nikolai Petrovich and Pavel Petrovich, nature is God's temple, in which a person rests, they admire its beauty. Bazarov (the character’s quotes confirm this) is categorically against such glorification; he believes that nature “is a workshop, and man is a worker in it.” In a conflict with Pavel Petrovich, the hero often behaves rather rudely. He speaks unflatteringly about him in the presence of his nephew, Arkady Kirsanov. All this is shown by Bazarov not from the most the best side. It is for this portrayal of the hero that Turgenev will subsequently suffer. Bazarov, whose characterization in many critical articles affects not in favor of Turgenev, was undeservedly scolded by the author, some even believe that Turgenev is slandering the entire younger generation, undeservedly accusing them of all sins. However, one should not forget that older generation Nor is it at all praised in the text.

Relationships with parents

Bazarov's nihilism clearly manifests itself at all moments of his life. Parents who have not seen their son for a long time are waiting for him with rapture. But they are slightly embarrassed by their serious and educated child. The mother pours out her feelings, and the father sheepishly apologizes for such incontinence. Bazarov himself strives to leave as soon as possible parents' house, apparently because he is afraid to suddenly show warm feelings. According to German materialism, a person cannot have any spiritual attachments. On his second visit, Evgeniy also asks his parents not to disturb him, not to bother him with their care.

Internal conflict

The internal conflict in the novel is obvious. It lies in the fact that the hero begins to doubt his theory, he becomes dissuaded from it, but cannot come to terms with it. Bazarov’s first doubts about nihilism arise when he meets Sitnikov and Kukshina. These people call themselves nihilists, but they are too petty and insignificant.

Love line in the novel

The test of the hero by love is a classic for the novel genre, and the novel “Fathers and Sons” was no exception. Bazarov, an inveterate nihilist who denies any romantic feelings, falls in love with the young widow Odintsova. She captivates him at first sight when he sees her at the ball. She differs from other women in her beauty, majesty, her gait is graceful, every movement is royally graceful. But her most important trait is intelligence and prudence. It is prudence that will prevent her from staying with Bazarov. At first, their relationship seems friendly, but the reader immediately understands that a spark of love flashed between them. However, none of them is able to step over their principles. Evgeny Bazarov's confession looks ridiculous, because at the moment of revelation his eyes are more full of anger than love. Bazarov is a complex and contradictory image. What makes him angry? Of course, his theory collapsed. Man is and has always been a creature with a living heart, in which the strongest feelings glow. He, who denies love and romance, is conquered by a woman. Bazarov's ideas collapsed; they were refuted by life itself.

Friendship

Arkady Kirsanov is one of Bazarov's most devoted supporters. However, it is immediately noticeable how different they are. There is too much romanticism in Arcadia, as in his relatives. He wants to enjoy nature, he wants to start a family. Surprisingly, Bazarov, whose quotes addressed to Pavel Petrovich are harsh and unfriendly, does not despise him for this. He guides him on his path, realizing at the same time that Arkady will never be a true nihilist. At the moment of a quarrel, he insults Kirsanov, but his words are rather thoughtless than evil. Remarkable intelligence, strength of character, will, calmness and self-control - these are the qualities that Bazarov possesses. Arkady’s characterization looks weaker against his background, because he is not such an outstanding personality. But at the end of the novel, Arkady remains a happy family man, and Evgeny dies. Why?

The meaning of the novel's ending

Many critics reproached Turgenev for “killing” his hero. The ending of the novel is very symbolic. For heroes like Bazarov, the time has not come, and the author believes that it will never come at all. After all, humanity endures only because it has love, kindness, and respect for the traditions of its ancestors and culture. Bazarov is too categorical in his assessments, he does not take half measures, and his sayings sound blasphemous. He encroaches on the most valuable things - nature, faith and feelings. As a result, his theory crashes against the rocks of the natural order of life. He falls in love, cannot be happy only because of his beliefs, and in the end he dies altogether.

The epilogue of the novel emphasizes that Bazarov's ideas were unnatural. Parents come to their son's grave. He found peace in the midst of beautiful and eternal nature. Turgenev depicts the cemetery landscape in a pointedly romantic manner, once again conveying the idea that Bazarov was wrong. The “workshop” (as Bazarov called it) continues to bloom, live and delight everyone with its beauty, but the hero is no more.