It is impossible to imagine the history of Russian literature without the name of Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev. His literary heritage is quite extensive: Turgenev wrote poetry, prose, and drama. The writer's talent manifested itself most clearly in his major works - novels and stories. It was in them that the artist comprehensively reflected the features of his time, the spiritual image of his contemporaries. Turgenev’s enormous merit also lies in the fact that in his work he touched upon universal human and philosophical problems that have worried people at all times.
One of the fundamental themes of Turgenev's work is the theme of love. It is important to note that the author often tests his characters with love. And this is no coincidence, for Turgenev himself went through the same test.
Back in 1843, an event occurred that left an indelible mark on Turgenev’s entire life. He met an outstanding singer, a person of high culture, an intelligent and attractive woman, Pauline Viardot. The woman she loved could not become Turgenev’s wife: she had children and a husband. And their relationship retained the purity and charm of true friendship, behind which was hidden high feeling love. It is impossible to read the lines from Turgenev’s letter to Viardot without excitement: “Next Tuesday it will be seven years since I was with you for the first time. And so we remained friends, and, it seems to me, good friends. And I am happy to tell you after seven years that I have not seen anything in the world better than you, that meeting you on my way was the greatest happiness of my life, that my devotion and gratitude to you has no limits and will die only with me.”
As can be seen from all of the above, Turgenev treated his beloved and women in general with great respect and awe. In each of his works, the author gave a special place to female images, sometimes making them the main ones in revealing the main theme. The novel “Fathers and Sons” was no exception. The entire work is full of female images, each of which is interesting, original and carries its own special symbolic meaning.
Roman I.S. Turgenev's "Fathers and Sons" is a multifaceted and very deep work. It examines a variety of issues, from socio-political to deeply personal issues of love and friendship.
The theme of love is one of the main themes of this work. In this regard, the novel contains many female characters. With their help, the author not only reveals many problems, but also expresses his attitude to the problems of a woman’s destiny, expresses his point of view on female character, women's destiny.
The novel features women of different generations. The “elders” include Bazarov’s mother Arina Vlasyevna, Arkady’s mother Masha, Arkady’s grandmother Agathoklea Kuzminishna, Anna Sergeevna and Katya’s aunt. All these heroines, with the exception of the old and, in my opinion, already out of her mind auntie, are positive characters. They, despite the difference in character, fulfilled their feminine duty with honor and followed their feminine destiny. These heroines had strong families, loving husbands and beloved children. It’s not for nothing that they raised worthy, good children: the Kirsanov brothers, and Bazarov, and Arkady.
TO to the younger generation in “Fathers and Sons” include Katya, Fenechka, Kukshina. The fates of these women are different. If Fenechka is happy with her fate, then doubts already arise about Katya: she strives for a different life, interesting and active, but chooses the rather mediocre Arkady. What lies ahead for her? We can only guess.
Avdotya Nikitishna Kukshina is both a funny and dramatic character. This is a deeply unhappy woman who failed to find her feminine happiness. She is trying to turn into an emancipated, independent lady. Kukshina rejects her feminine nature, turning into a funny and pitiful creature. She still hopes to arrange her destiny, dreams of a husband and children. But, in my opinion, she is unlikely to succeed.
The characters of Princess R. and Anna Sergeevna Odintsova stand out in the novel. They are similar in many ways and form a parallel of the older and younger generations. These heroines prefer something else to a quiet family life. Princess R. chooses a life full of passions and excitement, Odintsova - a complete absence of emotions, but material well-being. Both heroines are unhappy. It seems to me that the author sees the reason for this in their rejection of family, love for their husband, and raising children. It is in this, in my opinion, that Turgenev sees the purpose of a woman, her sacred duty and her happiness.
Female images in I. S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons”
Women play a big role in the works of writers. You could say huge. Because no work can do without love. And women are always associated with love. In all works, a woman dreams of Great love. And not only in stories, but also in life. And everyone achieves it in their own way. The desire to achieve is related to character. Writers write and show about this. But there are no women with the same character. One strives for love in every possible way, the other makes no effort. After all, character has great importance. Women with strong character always get their way. But this is not always the case in works. An example is the story “Oblomov”. In which the hero, who had lost the meaning in life, was unable to be raised by a woman with a strong character. But in life everything is not like that. We will not go into the details of this work, but consider the “problem” from the other side. For example, the work “Fathers and Sons”, which was written by I.S. Turgenev.
In this story there are representatives of women with strong character. Mainly Odintsova. The author described her as a beautiful, interesting woman. She plays one of the main roles in the work. She loved Bazarov. It was she who awakened in him human feelings, although he didn't admit it.
Bazarov is the stupidest person (personal opinion). He denies all human feelings. He denied poetry. An example is the order to Arkady to take away a book with Pushkin’s poetry from his father. He doesn't recognize music. Example, laughter upon learning that Nikolai Petrovich plays Scots musical instrument. He perceives nature as a workshop. But Turgenev describes all the beauty of nature. The author doesn't like Bazarov, apparently. Bazarov recognizes only science. Love does not exist.
Odintsova and Bazarov - two different people. She has a different outlook on life. She could argue with him about anything. Bazarov was afraid of her. But in some ways they are similar. Apparently for this reason, when dying, Bazarov confesses his love for Odintsova. She belongs to the category of children.
Katerina, according to Bazarov, Strong woman. She showed courage. fought for Arkady. The heroine was able to overcome Bazarov and his theory. Arkady is human. He acknowledges feelings. But Bazarov instills his theory in him. He talks about agreeing with her, although deep down he denies her. Katerina was able to overcome everything for the sake of love.
Fenichka is a modest, quiet, naive woman. She doesn't play a special role. But because of her, Pavel Petrovich dies. He was in love with her. She reminded him of his late wife. Because of her, he dies in a duel. From here you can see her small role, which ended in tragedy.
Kukshina rarely appears in the story. Her character is reminiscent of Bazarov. Her views on life are copied from the views of Bazarov. She has a weak character. She does not have her own views on life, and weak and weak-willed people can copy from someone.
Drawing conclusions, we clearly see that women play a large role in the stories. verses and poems. In the story “Fathers and Sons,” each heroine is overcome by love and each has its own end. Some are happy (Arkady and Katerina), others are unhappy (Bazarov and Odintsova). And it all depends on the character.
“The ideal man should talk to women like goddesses and treat them like children.”
(O. Wilde)
“Fathers and Sons” is a work that is Turgenev’s most piercing and most interesting novel. The fact is that this novel is distinguished by many interesting characters and a variety of pressing questions that confront the heroes. It is believed that this work tells about problems in the views of generations: fathers and children. Without refuting this statement, the author of the work states that this work by Ivan Turgenev is, first of all, about life and will, about love and innocence human soul, which none of us have felt for many years, and no one remembers such a philosophical category.
The most outstanding figures and characters in the novel “Fathers and Sons” are female characters: Anna Sergeevna Odintsova, Fenechka and Kukshina. These women are not alike, but at the same time they have one thing in common: the era and a feeling of inner hopelessness, as well as an attempt to radically change their lives. Even if their desire is not obvious, it lurks in the depths of the subconscious.
The reader probably knows how Turgenev treats women. If the reader has already familiarized himself with his other works, then it is obvious that Turgenev almost idolizes a woman. He endows her with courage and meekness, an inquisitive mind and innocence. Odintsova played the most significant role in the novel “Fathers and Sons”. It was thanks to her that the usual way of life of Bazarov, a cynic and a nihilist, was transformed. It is Bazarov’s internal conflict that begins from the moment he meets Odintsova.
Of course, with his originality, Bazarov attracted Odintsova. Her bright and fiery nature involuntarily admired Bazarov’s way of thinking, although she tried not to admit it to herself. Mutual sympathy between two people is based on their mutual penetration towards each other. But she also pushed them away from each other. Bazarov is certainly difficult to love. Even the scene of his confession to Odintsova is different precisely in that Anna, as before, remained majestic and almost imperturbable. Her feminine ordered her to be silent, to be calm, or to observe external decency. But it turns out that Odintsova herself was not capable of ardor; she could not follow her instincts. She needed freedom, but in a calm and detached understanding of this meaning. And Bazarov, in turn, frightens with his love. After all, he hates at the same time. They part without knowing the true intensity of passion! But. It was Odintsova who turned out to be the person he wanted to see before his death.
Kukshina’s image is somewhat different. She is deeply unhappy, although she adheres to progressive views. Her misfortune is, first of all, based on the tragedy and loneliness of a woman. Her husband left her, but behind a mask of struggle she hides her loneliness and dissatisfaction with life. Pretentious behavior and cheeky manners - all this characterizes the unfortunate Kukshina.
According to Turgenev, Fenechka is a real Russian woman. She does not have that bit of insincerity that is present in Odintsov, and that falseness that is present in Kukshina. But she rejects Bazarov's love. She understands perfectly well that Bazarov does not love her. This offends Fenechka, because Evgeniy’s words are false. In addition, Fenechka’s morality and spiritual purity are insulted.
It cannot be said that these three women played a fatal role in the life of Yevgeny Bazarov. Except, probably, Odintsova. Evgeniy himself, with his own hands, ruined his young life. Being an intelligent man, quite decent in the conditions of noble lawlessness, he died. But not as a martyr, but somehow stupidly. Stupid to the point of hopelessness.
The most prominent female figures in Turgenev's novel “Fathers and Sons” are Anna Sergeevna Odintsova, Fenechka and Kukshina. These three images are extremely different from each other, but nevertheless we will try to compare them.
Turgenev was very respectful of women, which is perhaps why their images are described in detail and vividly in the novel. These ladies are united by their acquaintance with Bazarov. Each of them contributed to changing his worldview. The most significant role was played by Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. It was she who was destined to turn the world familiar to Bazarov upside down. Love, the existence of which he did not believe, came to him. Internal conflict Bazarov's story begins precisely from the moment when he meets Anna Sergeevna Odintsova.
With his eccentricity, Bazarov naturally arouses the keen interest of the cold lady Odintsova. But this love simultaneously attracts and frightens her. Since this is not a completely familiar feeling for a young nihilist, he, accordingly, does not know how to behave. From one position, he supposedly does not believe in love, and on the other, he does not know what to call the longing that he experiences. The scene where his confession to Odintsova is described very vividly conveys his torment. His love is more like anger at her, at himself for his weakness. Anna Sergeevna is always calm, dignified and unperturbed. There is something primordially Russian about her. She is a real woman who demands attention, respect and even some admiration for her person. But at the same time, she is not capable of all-consuming passion. She needs the same restraint, a certain coldness that is inherent in herself. Odintsova is unable to respond to Bazarov’s feelings, he frightens her, his love is more like hatred, at her, at himself for weakness. And Bazarov himself cannot give what she needs - calm, comfort and harmony. They are forced to part, although it is Odintsova that Bazarov wants to see before his death.
The image of Kukshina is completely different. This “nihilist” is deeply unhappy, and precisely as a woman. Her husband left her, and now behind the modern mask of an emancipated lady she hides her personal dissatisfaction with the current situation. Her manners are affected and false, but even she evokes sympathy when at the ball, abandoned by her male acquaintances, she unsuccessfully tries to attract their attention. Cheeky behavior often hides a feeling of inferiority. This happened in the case of Kukshina. Forced to play a role that is not her own, she, unlike Odintsova, who always feels at ease, behaves extremely unnaturally.
Fenechka is a real Russian woman. She does not have the majesty and spoiledness of Odintsova, and even more so she does not have the pretentiousness and falsehood of Kukshina. However, she also rejects Bazarov. He is drawn to Fedosya Nikolaevna, he seeks in her some confirmation of his theory of love as a simple sensual attraction. But this attitude offends Fenechka, and Bazarov hears a sincere reproach from her lips. Her morality, deep spirituality and purity are insulted. If for the first time the hero can explain Anna Sergeevna’s refusal by lordly effeminacy and caprice, then the refusal of Fenechka, a simple woman, suggests that the high spirituality and beauty despised by Bazarov are initially inherent in feminine nature itself. Women subconsciously feel aggression and hostility, and rarely can anything make them respond to contempt with love.
Self-esteem, spirituality and moral beauty unite Odintsova and Fenechka. In the future, Turgenev will use some of their character traits to create the image of a “Turgenev girl.” IN this work their role is to show the reader the author’s concept of the beauty of the Russian soul.
Turgenev the artist is rightfully considered an expert on female nature, a poet of women. “What we especially like about Turgenev is, so to speak, the economy in colors: his female image, for the most part, is only sketched out, rarely finished off; but, despite this, in the image of the reader he always grows to true artistic completeness,” wrote De Poulet in 1915.
This completeness and airiness is characteristic of almost all of Turgenev’s heroines. In the novel “Fathers and Sons,” this quality of the writer is supplemented by his humor, an ironic look at women, sometimes reaching the point of caustic satire.
Here is Fenechka, a simple-minded and spontaneous young woman of “ignoble origin”, whom Nikolai Petrovich brought closer to him. Fenechka is kind, naive, selfless. However, she is honest, open, religious, and has her own ideas about decency. She sincerely and deeply loves Nikolai Petrovich and dotes on little Mitya. That is why Bazarov’s persecution and Pavel Petrovich’s suspicions of infidelity deeply offend her. For Fenechka, the most important thing in life is her family - at the end of the novel she becomes the wife of Nikolai Petrovich.
Another female character in the novel is Evdoksia Kukshina. This is a young woman who considers herself a supporter of Bazarov, a “provincial nihilist.” She is extremely well read and keeps up to date with everyone. latest articles, ideas, theories, literary works. In a conversation with Bazarov and Arkady, she mentions the names of Liebig, George Sand, Emerson.
However, all the heroine’s beliefs are superficial. She simply maintains the image of a “progressive woman”, without actually being one. And Turgenev hints at this in his description of the interior of Kukshina’s living room: “The room in which they found themselves looked more like a study than a living room. Papers, letters, thick numbers of Russian magazines, mostly uncut, lay scattered on dusty tables; there were scattered cigarette butts everywhere.”
Therefore, Kukshina’s description sounds like frank author’s satire; all her behavior seems unnatural, artificial, and makes an unpleasant impression. “There was nothing ugly in the small and inconspicuous figure of the emancipated woman; but the expression on her face had an unpleasant effect on the viewer. I couldn’t help but want to ask her: “Are you hungry?” Or are you bored? Or are you timid? Why are you jumping around?"... She spoke and moved very casually and at the same time awkwardly... everything with her came out, as children say, on purpose, that is, not simply, not naturally.”
The deliberate swagger and awkwardness of Kukshina’s manners testify to her uncertainty, tightness, complexes and constant desire to overcome her own complexes. I think this is exactly what Turgenev wants to say when describing her manners, the way she speaks and moves. “And she, like Sitnikov,” notes the writer, “was always scratching her soul.”
However, the author does not sympathize with this heroine at all. On the contrary, Turgenev in every possible way emphasizes some kind of absurdity of Kukshina’s appearance, her sloppiness, untidiness, and external unattractiveness. We see Kukshina “disheveled”, in a “not quite neat dress”, she has a “hoarse voice”, at the ball she appears “without any crinoline and in dirty gloves, but with a bird of paradise in her hair.”
The meaning of these portraits is very deep. Such obvious authorial hostility is probably connected with Turgenev’s ideas about the purpose of a woman, about her inner appearance. The writer’s favorite heroines - Asya, Liza Kalitina, Natalya Lasunskaya - are akin to Pushkin’s Tatyana. As G. B. Kurlyandskaya notes, they “are distinguished by romantic impulses, the ideality of dreams, which is associated with the purity of moral feeling,” the very “social and moral quests” of Turgenev’s heroines are inextricably linked with their feelings. Love here does not oppose spiritual needs, but acts at one with them.
We find nothing like this in Kukshina. This heroine is “prosaic”, she is not characterized by any romanticism, she has no dreams. Love, the unconscious desire for happiness - all this is not characteristic of her. Kuk-shina apparently broke up with her husband. The writer seems to deprive the heroine of this aspect of personality (the main one for a woman, according to Turgenev). And this “depersonalization” turns into a caricature of social and moral aspirations.
The most significant female character in the novel is that of Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. Odintsova is a young woman of about twenty-eight, a wealthy landowner who lives constantly on her estate. She is smart, reasonable, self-confident. Odintsova’s majestic calmness, her self-esteem, subtlety and aristocracy are emphasized in the description of her appearance.
“Arkady looked around and saw a tall woman in a black dress stopping at the door of the hall. She struck him with the dignity of her bearing. Her naked arms lay beautifully along her slender figure; fell beautifully from shiny hair light fuchsia branches on sloping shoulders; calmly and intelligently, precisely calmly, and not thoughtfully, they looked light eyes from under a slightly overhanging white forehead, and the lips smiled a barely noticeable smile. Some kind of gentle and soft power wafted from her face.”
The fate of this woman was not easy. Her father was Sergei Nikolaevich Loktev, a card sharper, a well-known swindler in the world. Having received a brilliant upbringing in St. Petersburg, after the death of her father she was forced to move to the village. In Anna's arms she was left with her sister, twelve-year-old Katya. However, the young girl was not at a loss: having sent her aunt, Princess Avdotya Stepanovna, to live with her, she began raising her sister. Soon Anna Sergeevna accidentally met Odintsov, a rich man who was reputed to be an eccentric, but not evil or stupid. Odintsov proposed to her, and she agreed. But six years later he died, and Anna Sergeevna became a widow.
In the province, Odintsova was not very favored: there were constantly rumors and rumors about her marriage, about her father’s affairs. However, this gossip did not affect Anna Sergeevna. Her life went on just as calmly and measuredly, in the same routine.
The same orderly order was established in her house. Everything during the day - breakfast, lunch and dinner, music lessons, rest - took place at a certain time. Anna Sergeevna did not like any changes or innovations. “It’s like you’re rolling on rails,” remarked Bazarov, Odintsova’s guest.
The same order and regularity reign in the heroine’s thoughts and in her mental life. More than anything else, she values her own peace of mind. Her mind, deep and inquisitive, requires new food, and she enjoys communicating with Bazarov. Odintsova is interested in talking with a person who “has the courage to deny everything.” She feels a strong, bright, extraordinary personality in him, and this attracts her. In addition, like any woman, Anna Sergeevna is pleased to realize the impression she makes. But this is all she feels for Bazarov. That is why she rejects his love.
Odintsova's main character traits are strength, confidence and love for peace, stability and comfort. Phlegmatism is manifested in Anna Sergeevna’s manners, in the smoothness and naturalness of her movements, in the polite participation of her conversation. And Turgenev portrays these features somewhat ironically. Lyubov Bazarova could not “shake” this “calmness”, could not bring her out of the usual balance of feelings and thoughts. In this regard, Anna Sergeevna is a spiritually limited woman, limited by the framework within which she keeps her life, her feelings and emotions. She is quite conservative. Bazarov cannot be limited by any boundaries. His ardent confession, strong and heavy passion, “similar to anger” - all this frightens Odintsova. “...God knows where this would lead, this is not something to joke about, calm is still better,” she thinks. It seems that Anna Sergeevna does not need love at all. Bazarov’s feeling for her is “emptiness or... ugliness.” Subsequently, she successfully marries “not out of love, but out of conviction.”
If Anna Sergeevna is, of course, an extraordinary person, in some way worthy of Bazarov’s love, then her sister Katya, on the contrary, is an ordinary, mediocre young lady who does not stand out in any way among the young ladies of the noble circle. Katya was raised by her sister, who was probably too strict with her, so the girl is distrustful and a little wild. However, there is some special purity and unspoiledness in it. It is these traits that Bazarov notices in her. For all that, Katya is far from naive; she has independence, practical intelligence, and authority. As Bazarov noted, she will “stand up for herself” and “take her husband into her hands.”
So, the heroines of the novel are types that are somewhat different from the previous “Turgenev young ladies”. However, the author does not betray himself in one thing: all the female characters in “Fathers and Sons” are drawn masterfully and with love. Each of them is unique, vitally true and attractive in its own way.