The year the novel was written is a bummer. Who wrote "Oblomov"? The history of the creation of the novel "Oblomov". Images of the main characters

History of creation

“Having read what was written carefully, I saw that all this had gone to the extreme, that I had taken up the subject in the wrong way, that one thing needed to be changed, another should be released<…>The thing is being developed in my head slowly and heavily.”

The entire novel “Oblomov” was first published only in 1859 in the first four issues of the journal “Otechestvennye zapiski”. The beginning of work on the novel dates back to an earlier period. In 1849, one of the central chapters of “Oblomov” was published - “Oblomov’s Dream”, which the author himself called “the overture of the entire novel.” The author asks the question: what is “Oblomovism” - a “golden age” or death, stagnation? In “The Dream...” the motifs of staticity and immobility, stagnation prevail, but at the same time one can feel the author’s sympathy, good-natured humor, and not just satirical negation. As Goncharov later claimed, in 1849 the plan for the novel “Oblomov” was ready and the draft version of its first part was completed. “Soon,” wrote Goncharov, “after the publication of Ordinary History in 1847 in Sovremennik, I already had Oblomov’s plan ready in my mind.” In the summer of 1849, when “Oblomov’s Dream” was ready, Goncharov made a trip to his homeland, to Simbirsk, whose life retained the imprint of patriarchal antiquity. In this small town, the writer saw many examples of the “dream” that the inhabitants of his fictional Oblomovka became. Work on the novel was interrupted due to Goncharov's trip around the world on the frigate Pallada. Only in the summer of 1857, after the publication of the travel essays “Frigate “Pallada””, Goncharov continued work on “Oblomov”. In the summer of 1857, he went to the resort of Marienbad, where within a few weeks he completed three parts of the novel. In August of the same year, Goncharov began working on the last, fourth, part of the novel, the final chapters of which were written in 1858. However, while preparing the novel for publication, Goncharov rewrote Oblomov in 1858, adding new scenes, and made some cuts. Having completed work on the novel, Goncharov said: “I wrote my life and what grows into it.”

Goncharov admitted that the idea of ​​“Oblomov” was influenced by the ideas of Belinsky. The most important circumstance that influenced the concept of the work is considered to be Belinsky’s speech regarding Goncharov’s first novel, “An Ordinary Story.” The image of Oblomov also contains autobiographical features. By Goncharov’s own admission, he himself was a sybarite, he loved serene peace, which gives rise to creativity.

Published in 1859, the novel was hailed as a major social event. The Pravda newspaper, in an article dedicated to the 125th anniversary of Goncharov’s birth, wrote: “Oblomov appeared in an era of public excitement, several years before the peasant reform, and was perceived as a call to fight against inertia and stagnation.” Immediately after its publication, the novel became the subject of discussion in criticism and among writers.

Plot

The novel tells about the life of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. Ilya Ilyich, together with his servant Zakhar, lives in St. Petersburg, on Gorokhovaya Street, practically without leaving the house and without even getting up from the couch. He does not engage in any activities, does not go out into the world, he only indulges in thoughts about how to live and dreams of a cozy, serene life in his native Oblomovka. No problems - the decline of the economy, threats of eviction from the apartment - can move him from his place.

His childhood friend Stolz, the complete opposite of the sluggish, dreamy Ilya, makes the hero wake up for a while and plunge into life. Oblomov falls in love with Olga Ilyinskaya and subsequently, after much thought and retreat, proposes to marry her.

However, succumbing to Tarantiev’s intrigues, Oblomov moves to an apartment rented to him on the Vyborg side, ending up in the house of Agafya Matveevna Pshenitsyna. Gradually, the entire economy of Ilya Ilyich passes into the hands of Pshenitsyna, and he himself finally fades away in “Oblomovism”. Rumors are circulating around St. Petersburg about the imminent wedding of Oblomov and Ilyinskaya; upon learning of this, Ilya Ilyich is horrified: in his opinion, nothing has been decided yet. Ilyinskaya comes to his house and is convinced that nothing will awaken Oblomov from his slow descent into final sleep, and their relationship ends. At the same time, Oblomov’s affairs are taken over by Pshenitsyna’s brother Ivan Mukhoyarov, who entangles Ilya Ilyich in his machinations. At the same moment, Agafya Matveevna is repairing Oblomov’s robe, which, it would seem, no one can fix. From all this, Ilya Ilyich falls ill with a fever.

Characters and some quotes

• Oblomov, Ilya Ilyich- landowner, nobleman living in St. Petersburg. Leads a lazy lifestyle, doing nothing but reasoning.

". lazy, pure, “good-natured,” smart, honest, romantic, sensitive, “dovelike” gentle, open, sensitive, potentially capable of much, indecisive, quickly “lights up” and quickly “goes out,” fearful, alienated, weak-willed, gullible, sometimes naive, does not understand business, physically and spiritually weak.

• Zakhar- Oblomov’s servant, faithful to him since childhood.
• Stolts, Andrey Ivanovich- Oblomov’s childhood friend, half-German, practical and active.

• Tarantyev, Mikhei Andreevich- an acquaintance of Oblomov, roguish and cunning.
• Ilyinskaya, Olga Sergeevna- noblewoman, Oblomov’s beloved, then Stolz’s wife.
• Anisya- Zakhara's wife.
• Pshenitsyna, Agafya Matveevna- the owner of the apartment in which Oblomov lived, then his wife.
• Mukhoyarov, Philip Matveevich- Pshenitsyna’s brother, official.

Second plan

• Volkov- a guest in Oblomov’s apartment.
• Sudbinsky- guest. Official, head of department.
• Alekseev, Ivan Alekseevich- guest. "an impersonal allusion to the human mass!"
• Penkin- guest. Writer and publicist.

Criticism

• Nechaenko D. A. The myth about the dreaminess of Russian life in the artistic interpretation of I. A. Goncharov and I. S. Turgenev (“Oblomov” and “Nov”). // Nechaenko D. A. History of literary dreams of the 19th-20th centuries: Folklore, mythological and biblical archetypes in literary dreams of the 19th-early 20th centuries. M.: University Book, 2011. P.454-522. ISBN 978-5-91304-151-7

see also

Notes

Links

• Goncharov I. A. Oblomov. A novel in four parts // Complete works and letters: In 20 volumes. St. Petersburg: Nauka, 1998. Vol. 4
• Otradin M.V. Prof., Doctor of Philology “Oblomov” in a series of novels by I. A. Goncharov.

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See what “Oblomov” is in other dictionaries: bummers - Cm …

Synonym dictionary OBLOMOV - hero of I.A. Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” (1848-1859). Literary sources of the image of O. Gogol Podkolesin and old-world landowners, Tentetnikov, Manilov. Literary predecessors of O. in the works of Goncharov: Tyazhelenko (“Dashing Sickness”), Egor ...

Synonym dictionary- The hero of the novel I.A. Goncharov "Oblomov". The novel was written between 1848 and 1859. Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is a landowner, hereditary nobleman*, an educated man, 32–33 years old. In his youth he was an official, but, having served only 2 years and being burdened by the service,... ... Linguistic and regional dictionary

Dedicated to the characteristic state of the Russian person. He describes a hero who has fallen into personal stagnation and apathy. The work gave the world the term “Oblomovism” - a derivative of the name of the character in the story. Goncharov created a striking example of 19th century literature. The book turned out to be the pinnacle of the writer's creativity. The novel is included in the school curriculum of Russian literature and does not lose its relevance, although two centuries have passed since its creation.

History of creation

"Oblomov" is a landmark work for Russian literature of the 19th century. Its meaning is not always accessible to schoolchildren who become acquainted with the book at a young age. Adults consider more deeply the idea that the author wanted to convey.

The main character of the work is the landowner Ilya Oblomov, whose lifestyle is incomprehensible to others. Some consider him a philosopher, others a thinker, and others a lazy person. The author allows the reader to form his own opinion without speaking categorically about the character.

It is impossible to evaluate the concept of a novel separately from the history of the creation of the work. The basis of the book was the story “Dashing Illness,” written by Goncharov several years earlier. Inspiration struck the writer at a time when the social and political situation in Russia was tense.

At that time, the image of an apathetic tradesman who was unable to take responsibility for his actions and decisions was typical for the country. The idea for the book was influenced by reasoning. The critic wrote about the appearance of the image of the “superfluous man” in literary works of that time. He described the hero as a freethinker, incapable of serious action, a dreamer, useless to society. Oblomov's appearance is a visual embodiment of the nobility of those years. The novel describes the changes occurring in the hero. The characteristics of Ilya Ilyich are subtly outlined in each of the four chapters.

Biography

The main character was born into a landowner family living according to the traditional lordly way of life. Ilya Oblomov spent his childhood on a family estate, where life was not very diverse. The parents loved the boy. The affectionate nanny spoiled her with fairy tales and jokes. Sleeping and long sittings at meals were commonplace for the family, and Ilya easily adopted their inclinations. He was protected from all sorts of misfortunes, not allowing him to fight the difficulties that arose.

According to Goncharov, the child grew up apathetic and withdrawn until he turned into a thirty-two-year-old, unprincipled man with an attractive appearance. He lacked interest in anything and concentration on a specific subject. The hero's income was provided by serfs, so he did not need anything. The clerk robbed him, his place of residence gradually fell into disrepair, and the sofa became his permanent location.

Oblomov’s descriptive image includes the bright features of a lazy landowner and is collective. Goncharov's contemporaries tried not to name their sons after Ilya if they were the namesakes of their fathers. The household name that Oblomov's name acquired was carefully avoided.

A satirical description of the character’s appearance becomes a continuation of the string of “extra people” that he began and continued. Oblomov is not old, but he is already flabby. His face is expressionless. Gray eyes do not carry even a shadow of thought. He wears an old robe. Goncharov pays attention to the character’s appearance, noting his effeminacy and passivity. The dreamer Oblomov is not ready for action and indulges in laziness. The tragedy of the hero lies in the fact that he has great prospects, but is not able to realize them.

Oblomov is kind and selfless. He does not have to put any effort into anything, and if such a prospect arises, he fears it and shows uncertainty. He often dreams of the setting of his native estate, bringing back a sweet longing for his native place. From time to time, beautiful dreams are dispelled by other heroes of the novel.

He is the antagonist of Ilya Oblomov. The friendship between the men began in childhood. The opposite of a dreamer, Stolz, who has German roots, avoids idleness and is accustomed to working. He criticizes the lifestyle preferred by Oblomov. Stolz knows that his friend’s first attempts to realize his career ended in failure.

Having moved to St. Petersburg as a young man, Ilya tried to work in an office, but things did not go well, and he chose inaction. Stolz is an ardent opponent of passivity and tries to be active, although he understands that his work is not intended for high goals.

She became the woman who managed to awaken Oblomov from idleness. The love that settled in the hero’s heart helped him leave the usual sofa and forget about drowsiness and apathy. The golden heart, sincerity and breadth of soul attracted the attention of Olga Ilyinskaya.

She valued Ilya’s imagination and fantasy and at the same time tried to assert herself by caring for a man who had renounced the world. The girl was inspired by her ability to influence Oblomov and understood that their relationship would not continue. Ilya Ilyich's indecisiveness became the reason for the collapse of this union.

Fleeting obstacles are perceived by Oblomov as indestructible barriers. He is not able to adapt and adapt to social frameworks. Inventing his own cozy world, he distances himself from reality, where he has no place.

Isolation became the path to simple happiness in life, and it was brought by a woman who was constantly nearby. rented out the apartment where the hero lived. After breaking up with Olga Ilyinskaya, he found solace in Agafya’s attention. A thirty-year-old woman fell in love with a tenant, and her feelings did not require changes in character or lifestyle.

Having united their households, little by little they began to show trust in each other and began to live in perfect harmony. Pshenitsyna did not demand anything from her husband. She was content with the merits and did not pay attention to the shortcomings. The marriage produced a son, Andryusha, Agafya’s only consolation after Oblomov’s death.

• The chapter “Oblomov’s Dream” describes how the hero dreams of a thunderstorm. According to popular belief, you cannot work on Elijah’s Day so as not to die from thunder. Ilya Ilyich has not worked all his life. The author justifies the character's idleness by believing in omens.
• Coming from a village whose life is cyclical, Oblomov builds love relationships according to this principle. Getting to know Ilyinskaya in the spring, he confesses his feelings in the summer, gradually falls into apathy in the fall and tries to avoid meetings in the winter. The relationship between the characters lasted a year. This was enough to experience a bright palette of feelings and cool them down.

• The author mentions that Oblomov served as a collegiate assessor and managed to be a provincial secretary. Both positions did not correspond to the class to which the landowner belonged, and they could be achieved through hard work. Comparing the facts, it is easy to assume that the hero, who was lazy and while studying at the university, received his position in a different way. The classes of Pshenitsyna and Oblomov corresponded, which the author emphasizes the kinship of souls.
• Life with Agafya suited Oblomov. It is curious that even the woman’s surname is consonant with the rural nature for which the hero yearned.

Quotes

Despite his laziness, Oblomov shows himself to be an educated and sensitive person, a deep person with a pure heart and good thoughts. He justifies his inaction by saying:

“...Some people have nothing else to do but talk. There is such a calling."

Internally, Oblomov is strong to commit the act. The main step towards changes in his life is his love for Ilyinskaya. For her sake, he is capable of feats, one of which is saying goodbye to his favorite robe and sofa. It is quite possible that an object that could interest the hero just as much was simply not found. And if there is no interest, why forget about convenience? Therefore he criticizes the world:

“...There is nothing of their own, they are scattered in all directions, not directed towards anything. Underneath this comprehensiveness lies emptiness, a lack of sympathy for everything!..”

Oblomov in Goncharov’s novel appears at the same time as a lazy person with a negative connotation and an exalted character with poetic talent. His words contain subtle turns and expressions that are alien to the hard worker Stolz. His elegant phrases attract Ilyinskaya and turn Agafya’s head. Oblomov’s world, woven from dreams and dreams, is built on the melody of poetry, love for comfort and harmony, peace of mind and goodness:

“...Memories are either the greatest poetry when they are memories of living happiness, or burning pain when they touch dried wounds.”

Any person with any pretense of literacy is familiar with the names of Leo Tolstoy, Ivan Turgenev, Fyodor Dostoevsky and can certainly cite as examples the names of some of the most famous works of these authors. But who wrote "Oblomov"? Who was this writer? And why did his hero acquire such symbolic popularity?

Childhood and teenage years of the future writer

Ivan Alekseevich Goncharov (the one who wrote "Oblomov") was born in Simbirsk, now known as Ulyanovsk, in 1812. He was the son of a rich merchant. But Ivan Alekseevich’s dad died seven years after the boy was born, young Ivan was raised by his godfather, Nikolai Tregubov, a liberal-minded aristocrat. He opened up broader cultural horizons and a refined lifestyle for Goncharov.

Ivan Goncharov initially studied at a commercial school in 1822; his studies continued for eight years. As he later recalled, these were the most miserable years of his life. Ivan hated the poor quality of education and harsh discipline methods. His only consolation at that time was self-education.

Obtaining higher education and debut publications

And then at Moscow University, in an atmosphere of intellectual freedom and lively debate, Goncharov's spirit flourished. During his studies, Ivan Alekseevich met some of the leading minds of his era, but did not join any of the student circles that were full of faith in the ideals of the philosophy of German romanticism.

Goncharov remained indifferent to the ideas of political and social change that were gaining popularity at that time. His main occupation is reading and translating. In 1832, two chapters from the work of Eugene Sue were published, which were translated by Ivan Alekseevich. This became his debut publication.

Completion of studies and beginning of adult life

After graduating in 1834, Goncharov served for almost thirty years as a government official. He first returned home to enter the office of the Simbirsk governor, and a year later he moved to St. Petersburg and began working as a translator at the Ministry of Finance.

Unlike literary rivals such as Turgenev or Goncharov, he was forced to earn his own living, and not just rely on writing. Ivan Alekseevich, of course, became a member of the literary circle founded in the Maykovs’ house, and even wrote poetry. But soon he stopped dabbling in poetry altogether. Many of Goncharov's poems were included in the novel "Ordinary History" as works by Aduev. A sure sign that the author has stopped taking them seriously.

The writing career of the one who wrote "Oblomov". Photo of the author of the work

Goncharov's first prose began to appear in "Snowdrop". This is a satirical story "Dashing Sickness", in which he ridiculed romantic sentimentalism. Then a secular drama with a touch of comedy appeared, and the most significant work of that time was an essay called “Ivan Savvich Podzhabrin.” This is how the literary career of the one who wrote “Oblomov” began.

Despite the fact that Ivan Alekseevich began writing a long time ago, his first serious work was “Ordinary History.” She talks about the clash between the disintegrating Russian nobility and the new trading classes. The most influential critic of the time characterized the novel as an attack on outdated romanticism.

The most popular work, or the second novel by Ivan Alekseevich

In what year was “Oblomov” written? Ivan Alekseevich Goncharov began his second novel in the late 1840s, but the process was slow for many reasons. In one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five he accepted the position of censor and traveled to England, Africa and Japan as secretary to Admiral Putyatin.

And the novel “Oblomov” first appeared in the magazine “Otechestvennye zapiski” in 1859. It is dedicated to the protagonist's midlife crisis. A distinctive feature of Ilya Ilyich is his lazy attitude towards life. The author portrayed his character with sympathy, although he was the personification of the nobility.

The main questions in the work of Ivan Alekseevich

What primarily interests the common reader? This is, first of all, what the work is about, and not just who wrote it. "Oblomov" is a novel that describes the fate of the landowner Ilya Ilyich, and on the basis of this plot, the author in his work examines many important issues that Russian society faces in the nineteenth century. This is the uselessness of many landowners and nobles in society, the complex relationships between members of different classes of society, such as Oblomov and his servant Zakhar.

The main character is a young and generous nobleman, but he seems generally unable to make important decisions or initiate any significant actions. Throughout the entire work, he rarely leaves his room or bed. Moreover, during the first fifty or so pages, Ilya Ilyich very famously manages not to leave her at all.

The meaning of a famous work

Ivan Alekseevich Goncharov (the one who wrote the novel “Oblomov”) probably did not imagine that his work would become so popular that it would leave a significant imprint on Russian culture. Moreover, Goncharov's work will add new words to the Russian vocabulary. The main character's name will become frequently used to describe someone who exhibits traits of a lazy and apathetic personality, similar to the character in the novel.

The work aroused unanimous recognition not only among readers, but also among critics. There were those who wrote: Oblomov is the last person in the line of “superfluous people” after Onegin, Pechorin and Rudin in the disintegrating feudal Russia. Nikolai Dobrolyubov noted that the novel brought to the fore and subjected to careful analysis very important problems of that era. A special type of laziness that leads to self-destruction of the individual.

The last years of the life of the famous writer and critic

These are the global problems that the one who wrote “Oblomov” was able to touch upon in his work. Nevertheless, Ivan Alekseevich was not a prolific writer. He published only three of his novels. Ten years after the publication of the novel “Oblomov”, another work called “The Cliff” was published, which also had significant success among readers.

Goncharov is planning a fourth novel, but his dreams did not materialize. Instead, he becomes a critic and writes numerous theater and literary reviews. Towards the end of his life, Ivan Alekseevich wrote unusual memoirs in which he accused his literary rivals of plagiarizing his works. He died in St. Petersburg on September 24, 1891 from pneumonia.

This is how the life of the wonderful writer and critic Ivan Alekseevich Goncharov passed - the one who wrote the novel "Oblomov". His photo is now known to every schoolchild. And the works are not only popular, but also loved among a wide range of readers.

(16 )

Characteristics of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov very ambiguous. Goncharov created it complex and mysterious. Oblomov separates himself from the outside world, fences himself off from it. Even his home bears little resemblance to habitation.

From early childhood, he saw a similar example from his relatives, who also fenced off from the outside world and protected it. It was not customary to work in his home. When he, as a child, played snowballs with peasant children, they then warmed him up for several days. In Oblomovka they were wary of everything new - even a letter that came from a neighbor, in which he asked for a beer recipe, was afraid to open for three days.

But Ilya Ilyich remembers his childhood with joy. He idolizes the nature of Oblomovka, although this is an ordinary village, not particularly remarkable. He was brought up by rural nature. This nature instilled in him poetry and a love of beauty.

Ilya Ilyich does nothing, just complains about something all the time and engages in verbiage. He is lazy, does nothing himself and does not expect anything from others. He accepts life as it is and does not try to change anything in it.

When people come to him and tell him about their lives, he feels that in the bustle of life they forget that they are wasting their lives in vain... And he does not need to fuss, act, does not need to prove anything to anyone. Ilya Ilyich simply lives and enjoys life.

It's hard to imagine him in motion, he looks funny. At rest, lying on the sofa, it is natural. He looks at ease - this is his element, his nature.

Let's summarize what we read:

1. Appearance of Ilya Oblomov. Ilya Ilyich is a young man, 33 years old, good-looking, of average height, plump. The softness of his facial expression showed him to be a weak-willed and lazy person.
2. Family status. At the beginning of the novel, Oblomov is not married, he lives with his servant Zakhar. At the end of the novel he gets married and is happily married.
3. Description of the home. Ilya lives in St. Petersburg in an apartment on Gorokhovaya Street. The apartment is neglected; the servant Zakhar, who is as lazy as the owner, rarely sneaks into it. A special place in the apartment is occupied by a sofa, on which Oblomov lies around the clock.
4. Behavior and actions of the hero. Ilya Ilyich can hardly be called an active person. Only his friend Stolz manages to bring Oblomov out of his slumber. The main character is lying on the sofa and only dreams that he will soon get up from it and take care of business. He cannot even solve pressing problems. His estate has fallen into disrepair and is not bringing in any money, so Oblomov doesn’t even have money to pay the rent.
5. The author's attitude towards the hero. Goncharov has sympathy for Oblomov; he considers him a kind, sincere person. At the same time, he sympathizes with him: it is a pity that a young, capable, not stupid man has lost all interest in life.
6. My attitude towards Ilya Oblomov. In my opinion, he is too lazy and weak-willed, and therefore cannot command respect. At times he just infuriates me, I want to go up and shake him. I don't like people who live their lives so mediocrely. Perhaps I react so strongly to this hero because I feel the same shortcomings in myself.

Introduction

Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” is a landmark work of Russian literature of the 19th century, describing the phenomenon of “Oblomovism” characteristic of Russian society. A prominent representative of this social trend in the book is Ilya Oblomov, who comes from a family of landowners, whose family structure was a reflection of the norms and rules of Domostroy. Developing in such an atmosphere, the hero gradually absorbed the values ​​and priorities of his parents, which significantly influenced the formation of his personality. A brief description of Oblomov in the novel “Oblomov” is given by the author at the beginning of the work - he is an apathetic, introverted, dreamy man who prefers to live his life in dreams and illusions, imagining and experiencing fictional pictures so vividly that sometimes he can sincerely rejoice or cry from those scenes that are born in his mind. Oblomov’s inner softness and sensuality seemed to be reflected in his appearance: all his movements, even in moments of alarm, were restrained by external softness, grace and delicacy, excessive for a man. The hero was flabby beyond his years, had soft shoulders and small plump hands, and a sedentary and inactive lifestyle was visible in his sleepy gaze, which lacked any concentration or any basic idea.

Life of Oblomov

As if a continuation of the soft, apathetic, lazy Oblomov, the novel describes the hero’s life. At first glance, his room was beautifully decorated: “There was a mahogany bureau, two sofas upholstered in silk, beautiful screens with embroidered birds and fruits unprecedented in nature. There were silk curtains, carpets, several paintings, bronze, porcelain and many beautiful little things.” However, if you looked closely, you could see cobwebs, dusty mirrors and long-opened and forgotten books, stains on the carpets, uncleaned household items, bread crumbs and even a forgotten plate with a gnawed bone. All this made the hero’s room unkempt, abandoned, and gave the impression that no one had been living here for a long time: the owners had long since left the home without having time to clean it up. To some extent, this was true: Oblomov did not live in the real world for a long time, replacing it with an illusory world. This is especially clearly visible in the episode when his acquaintances come to the hero, but Ilya Ilyich does not even bother to extend his hand to them to greet them, much less get out of bed to meet the visitors. The bed in this case (like the robe) is a borderline between the world of dreams and reality, that is, having gotten out of bed, Oblomov would to some extent agree to live in the real dimension, but the hero did not want this.

The influence of “Oblomovism” on Oblomov’s personality

The origins of Oblomov’s all-encompassing escapism, his irresistible desire to escape from reality, lie in the “Oblomov” upbringing of the hero, which the reader learns about from the description of Ilya Ilyich’s dream. The character’s native estate, Oblomovka, was located far from the central part of Russia, located in a picturesque, peaceful area, where there were never strong storms or hurricanes, and the climate was calm and mild. Life in the village flowed smoothly, and time was measured not in seconds and minutes, but in holidays and rituals - births, weddings or funerals. The monotonous, quiet nature was also reflected in the character of the inhabitants of Oblomovka - the most important value for them was rest, laziness and the opportunity to eat to their fill. Work was seen as a punishment, and people tried in every possible way to avoid it, delay the moment of work, or force someone else to do it.

It is noteworthy that the characterization of the hero Oblomov in childhood differs significantly from the image that appears before readers at the beginning of the novel. Little Ilya was an active child, interested in many things and open to the world, with a wonderful imagination. He liked to walk and explore the surrounding nature, but the rules of “Oblomov’s” life did not imply his freedom, so gradually his parents re-educated him in their own image and likeness, raising him like a “greenhouse plant,” protecting him from the adversities of the outside world, the need to work and learn new things. Even the fact that they sent Ilya to study was more a tribute to fashion than a real necessity, because for any slightest reason they themselves left their son at home. As a result, the hero grew up as if closed from society, unwilling to work and relying in everything on the fact that if any difficulties arose he could shout “Zakhar” and the servant would come and do everything for him.

The reasons for Oblomov’s desire to escape reality

The description of Oblomov, the hero of Goncharov’s novel, gives a vivid idea of ​​Ilya Ilyich as a man who has firmly fenced himself off from the real world and internally does not want to change. The reasons for this lie in Oblomov’s childhood. Little Ilya loved to listen to fairy tales and legends about great heroes and heroes that his nanny told him, and then imagine himself as one of these characters - a person in whose life at one moment a miracle would happen that would change the current state of affairs and make the hero a cut above others. However, fairy tales are significantly different from life, where miracles do not happen on their own, and to achieve success in society and career you need to constantly work, overcome failures and persistently move forward.

The greenhouse upbringing, where Oblomov was taught that someone else would do all the work for him, combined with the dreamy, sensual nature of the hero, led to Ilya Ilyich’s inability to fight difficulties. This feature of Oblomov manifested itself even at the moment of his first failure in the service - the hero, fearing punishment (although, perhaps, no one would have punished him, and the matter would have been decided by a banal warning), he quits his job and no longer wants to face a world where everyone for myself. An alternative to harsh reality for the hero is the world of his dreams, where he imagines a wonderful future in Oblomovka, his wife and children, a peaceful calm that reminds him of his own childhood. However, all these dreams remain just dreams; in reality, Ilya Ilyich puts off in every possible way the issues of arranging his native village, which, without the participation of a reasonable owner, is gradually being destroyed.

Why didn’t Oblomov find himself in real life?

The only person who could pull Oblomov out of his constant half-asleep idleness was the hero’s childhood friend, Andrei Ivanovich Stolts. He was the complete opposite of Ilya Ilyich both in appearance and in character. Always active, striving forward, able to achieve any goals, Andrei Ivanovich still valued his friendship with Oblomov, since in communicating with him he found that warmth and understanding that he really lacked in those around him.

Stolz was most fully aware of the destructive influence of “Oblomovism” on Ilya Ilyich, therefore, until the last moment, he tried with all his might to pull him into real life. One time Andrei Ivanovich almost succeeded when he introduced Oblomov to Ilyinskaya. But Olga, in her desire to change the personality of Ilya Ilyich, was driven solely by her own egoism, and not by an altruistic desire to help her loved one. At the moment of parting, the girl tells Oblomov that she could not bring him back to life, because he was already dead. On the one hand, this is true, the hero is too deeply mired in “Oblomovism,” and in order to change his attitude towards life, superhuman efforts and patience were required. On the other hand, Ilyinskaya, active and purposeful by nature, did not understand that Ilya Ilyich needed time to transform, and he could not change himself and his life in one jerk. The break with Olga became an even greater failure for Oblomov than a mistake in the service, so he finally plunges into the network of “Oblomovism”, leaves the real world, not wanting to experience any more mental pain.

Conclusion

The author's characterization of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, despite the fact that the hero is the central character, is ambiguous. Goncharov reveals both his positive traits (kindness, tenderness, sensuality, ability to worry and sympathize) and negative ones (laziness, apathy, reluctance to decide anything on his own, refusal of self-development), portraying to the reader a multifaceted personality that can evoke sympathy , and disgust. At the same time, Ilya Ilyich is undoubtedly one of the most accurate depictions of a truly Russian person, his nature and character traits. It is precisely this ambiguity and versatility of Oblomov’s image that allows even modern readers to discover something important for themselves in the novel, asking themselves those eternal questions that Goncharov raised in the novel.

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