Bazarov's intrapersonal conflict. Bazarov's test of love. Relationships with parents


I. S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons” contains a large number of conflicts in general. These include a love conflict, a clash of worldviews of two generations, a social conflict and an internal conflict of the main character. Bazarov, the main character of the novel “Fathers and Sons,” is a surprisingly bright figure, a character in which the author intended to show the entire young generation of that time. We should not forget that this work is not just a description of the events of that time, but also deeply felt very real problems. The point is that the writer’s daughter Polina sometimes caused him despair - to such an extent father and daughter ceased to understand each other. Turgenev realized that modern youth are trying to build a new life, “live with their own mind.” The author experienced the eternal conflict of generations himself. Very often, young people do not treat values, authorities and traditions very carefully, and not in the way their parents would like. They often do not want to listen to cautious and wise “old people”, regardless of their opinion. Such was Bazarov. The theory of life of Bazarov, this extremely practical man, physician and nihilist, was very simple. There is no love in life - it is a physiological attraction, there is no beauty - it is just a combination of the properties of the body, there is no poetry - it is not needed. For Bazarov, there were no authorities; he convincingly and convincingly proved his point of view until life put everything in its place. Bazarov's internal conflict begins from the moment he meets Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. From that moment on, his life changes dramatically. The usual “organ of vision” now causes excitement and trepidation in his soul. What he had previously treated with contempt now overtook him. Love, the existence of which he did not believe, came to him. But this was only the beginning of the collapse of Bazarov’s harmonious concept of the world. If he despised the simple Russian peasant, then in the end he realizes that he was wrong. If Bazarov was persistent in proving his point of view, then life itself, with no less tenacity, breaks his illusions and teaches the hero to listen to his heart. If at the beginning of the novel Bazarov is a significant person, respected, triumphant and confident in his strengths and rightness, then by the end of the work he loses his confidence, although he remains strong, but this is a different kind of strength. This is the strength of a person who has known the bitterness of loss, the collapse of illusions, in other words, who has known feelings, “the life of the heart.” Odintsova is unable to respond to Bazarov’s feelings, he frightens her, his love is more like anger towards her, towards himself for his weakness. And Bazarov himself cannot give what she needs - peace, comfort and harmony, although it must be admitted that she is attracted to him. If for the first time the hero can explain for himself Anna Sergeevna’s refusal by lordly effeminacy, then the refusal of Fenichka, a simple woman, already suggests that the high spirituality and beauty despised by Bazarov were initially inherent in feminine nature itself. Women subconsciously feel aggression and hostility, and rarely can anything make them respond to contempt with love. But the test of love is not the last stage of Bazarov’s torment. Finding himself in an ideological crisis, the hero begins to understand the mystery of his own soul and the world around him. He begins to understand that science cannot answer all questions. This state of affairs angers the young nihilist, and although he denies the “romance” in himself, both love and poetry have taken a strong place in his soul. Theory fails in the battle with real life. Of course, living according to the theory is much easier and more convenient than experiencing love languor, doubt, timidity, anger, and resentment. But by protecting himself from worries, a person deprives himself of the right to a real, fulfilling life. Of course, you can lock yourself forever in a cramped and stuffy room to protect yourself from an accident, but is it even worth living in this world if you don’t know what it’s like to breathe fresh air, not see the sunrise and sunset, not watch the change of seasons, not meet friends? The image of Bazarov is contradictory and complex, he is torn by doubts, he experiences mental trauma, primarily due to the fact that he rejects the natural beginning. The theory of life of Bazarov, this extremely practical man, physician and nihilist, was very simple. There is no love in life - this is a physiological need, no beauty - this is just a combination of the properties of the body, no poetry - it is not needed. For Bazarov, there were no authorities; he convincingly proved his point of view until life convinced him otherwise. In addition, for the nihilist there was no concept of cultural heritage and the need to preserve it for posterity. He considered it a relic of the past and an unnecessary rudiment. In his disputes with Pavel Petrovich, Bazarov spoke about the uselessness of poets and the need for scientists. He denied spiritual beauty and, in general, the spiritual side of human life. His categoricalness is somewhat one-sided. He really does not yet see the practical benefits of abstract values. But gradually, step by step, Bazarov begins to see the light. The first stage was a meeting with Odintsova, when life refuted his first postulate that love does not exist. The hero realized that there is love, from this realization he is overwhelmed with a variety of emotions - discomfort from realizing his own wrongness, anger at himself for fleeting weakness, anger at Odintsova for appearing in his life. Bazarov experiences everything except the joy of being, love torments him, he burns in his own fire. His active and logical nature cannot find an explanation for what is happening, and this irritates him even more. Wanting to become a folk hero, Bazarov only breaks away from the people. He wants to receive respect from those he despises, but this is impossible. The tragedy of Bazarov's image lies in its inconsistency. On the one hand, he craves love and wants to be loved, but cannot afford it. He feels somewhat guilty that he betrayed his idea, and with his harsh and rude behavior he pushes Odintsova away. In the same way, he wishes the best for his people, but does not take into account at all the deep spirituality of the people, their high culture that has developed over centuries. Wanting to destroy, to “clear a place” for a new life, as he says, Bazarov unceremoniously tries to erase the thousand-year experience of mankind, which is, in principle, impossible under these conditions. To a certain extent, Bazarov is right. Science is necessary for productive progress, for new achievements, to make people’s lives easier, but it cannot be made an end in itself, or divorced from the needs of ordinary people. Bazarov is a very strong and extraordinary personality. But, as often happens, his good intentions do not always lead to the expected result. The contradictory image of Bazarov is only one of the facets of tragedy. Another problem of this personality is a force that does not find a way out; Bazarov is alone in his nihilism. All these so-called like-minded people around him like Kukshina and Sitnikov should not even be taken into account. These characters are a pathetic parody of Bazarov. Arkady is also not suitable for the role of a follower of a nihilist. Arkady has a completely different path than Bazarov, perhaps less difficult and controversial, but no less necessary. The fate of Arkady is devoid of that hysterical tragedy that is present in Bazarov. But in the life of Arkady Bazarov played a huge role. He forced Arkady, at a minimum, to think about his life path and about the path of Russia as a whole. For a long time, the novel “Fathers and Sons” in critical literature caused discrepancies and gave rise to diametrically opposed points of view. Thus, very often liberals and conservatives read the work as a justification for their own softness, denouncing the harshness of the judgments of young people, and revolutionaries found similar themes for themselves. Such one-sidedness depressed the writer, but he could not do anything. Criticism became aware of the inconsistency of the work many years after the author’s death.

Turgenev’s work “Fathers and Sons” is based on several problems. But the main thing is the confrontation between two generations or two eras. The author reveals this problem through the relationship between Bazarov and Kirsanov.

Kirsanov belongs to the adult generation, and Bazarov to the younger generation. They disliked each other from their very first meeting. To find out the reason for this, you must first understand the characters' characters.

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So, Pavel Kirsanov is a man of aristocratic origin who has not lost his manners, even living in the village. Bazarov is a nihilist, that is, a person who rejects everything around him.

Kirsanov is a person who does not understand how one can deny absolutely everything. He enjoys observing and admiring the beauty of nature. And Bazarov, at that time, only loves what a person does with his own hands. Sciences such as philosophy and culture are alien to Evgeniy. Only exact sciences are close to him, and everything else for him is nonsense.

It was the different views on life that caused the conflict between the two eras. In his work, the author is trying to say that different eras have their own vision, and their views cannot coincide. This conflict has happened and will continue to happen. And nothing can be done about it.

Updated: 2017-07-15

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Useful material on the topic

  • Bazarov is a man of a new generation. Nihilism. The author's attitude towards Bazarov. Bazarov's theory. The image of Bazarov. External and internal conflict of Bazarov. Victory and defeat, the death of Bazarov and the role of the epilogue in the novel

The greatest creation of the master of psychology I.S. Turgenev. He created his novel at a turning point, when progressive people in 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 the central character of the novel, all the threads of the narrative come down to him. He is the brightest representative of the 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 aspects of 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 does not show Bazarov from the best side. It is for this portrayal of the hero that Turgenev will subsequently suffer. Bazarov, whose characterization in many critical articles is 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, we should not forget that the older generation is also not 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 his parents’ home as quickly as possible, 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.

Test of love. From the thirteenth chapter, a turn is brewing in the novel: irreconcilable contradictions are revealed with all their severity in the character of the hero. The conflict of the work from the external (Bazarov and) is translated into the internal plane (the “fatal duel” in Bazarov’s soul). These changes in the plot of the novel are preceded by parody-satirical chapters, which depict vulgar bureaucratic “aristocrats” and provincial “nihilists”. Comic decline is a constant companion of the tragic, starting with Shakespeare.

Parody characters, highlighting with their baseness the significance of the characters of Pavel Petrovich and Bazarov, grotesquely sharpen and bring to the limit those contradictions that are inherent in them in a hidden form. From the comedic “bottom” the reader becomes more aware of both the tragic heights and the internal contradictions of the main characters. Let us recall the meeting of the plebeian Bazarov with the elegant and thoroughbred aristocrat Pavel Petrovich and compare it with the reception that the St. Petersburg dignitary Matvey Ilyich gives his guests: “He patted Arkady on the back and loudly called him “nephew”, honored Bazarov, dressed in an oldish tailcoat, absent-minded, but a condescending glance, across the cheek, and a vague but friendly moo, in which only one could make out that “...I” and “ssma”; he gave his finger to Sitnikov and smiled at him, but already turning his head away.” Doesn’t all this, in parody form, resemble Kirsanov’s technique: “Pavel Petrovich slightly tilted his flexible figure and smiled slightly, but did not offer his hand and even put it back in his pocket”?

In a conversation with Bazarov, Pavel Petrovich likes to puzzle the commoner, unworthy of his aristocratic greatness, with an ironic and dismissive question: “Are the Germans talking all the time?” - said Pavel Petrovich, and his face took on such an indifferent, distant expression, as if he had completely disappeared into some transcendental heights. the simplest words, he assumes deafness."

What is also striking about the provincial “nihilists” is the falsity and pretense of their denials. Behind the fashionable mask of an emancipated lady, Kukshina hides her feminine unluckiness. Her attempts to be modern are touching, and she is defenseless like a woman when her nihilistic friends do not pay attention to her at the governor’s ball. Sitnikov and Kukshina cover up their feelings of inferiority with nihilism: for Sitnikov it is social (“he was very ashamed of his origin”), for Kukshina it is typically feminine (ugly, helpless, abandoned by her husband). Forced to play roles unusual for them, these people give the impression of unnaturalness, “self-delusion.”

Yes, Kukshina’s external manners raise an involuntary question: “Are you hungry? Or are you bored? Or are you timid? Why are you nervous?” The images of these unfortunate people, like jesters in a Shakespearean tragedy, have the task in the novel of parodying some of the qualities inherent in nihilism of the highest type. After all, throughout the novel, and the closer to the end, the more clearly, Bazarov hides his anxious, loving, rebellious heart in nihilism.

After meeting Sitnikov and Kukshina, the traits of “self-delusion” begin to appear more sharply in Bazarov himself. The culprit turns out to be Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. “Here you go! The women are scared!” thought Bazarov and, lounging in a chair no worse than Sitnikov, he spoke with exaggerated cheekiness. 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. The other is a passionately and spiritually loving person, faced with the true mystery of this feeling: “... he could easily cope with his blood, but something else took possession of him, which he did not allow, which he always mocked, which outraged all his pride." Natural scientific beliefs dear to his mind turn into a principle, which he, a denier of all principles, now serves, secretly feeling that this service is blind, that life turned out to be more complicated than what “physiologists” know about it.

Usually, the origins of the tragedy of Bazarov’s love are sought in the character of Odintsova, a pampered lady, an aristocrat, unable to respond to Bazarov’s feelings, timid and giving in to him. However, Odintsova’s aristocracy, coming from old noble traditions, is combined in her with a different “aristocratism” bestowed on her by the Russian national ideal of female beauty.

Anna Sergeevna is royally beautiful and restrainedly passionate, she has a typical Russian majesty. her feminine wayward and unyielding. She demands respect. Odintsova wants and cannot love Bazarov, not only because she is, but also because this nihilist, having fallen in love, does not want love and runs away from it. The “incomprehensible fear” that gripped the heroine at the moment of Bazarov’s love confession is humanly justified: where is the line that separates Bazarov’s declaration of love from hatred towards the woman he loves? “He was out of breath: (*119) his whole body was apparently trembling.

But it was not the trembling of youthful timidity, it was not the sweet horror of the first confession that took possession of him: it was passion that beat within him, strong and heavy - a passion similar to anger and, perhaps, akin to it." The element of cruelly suppressed feeling finally broke through in him, but with destructive force towards this feeling.

Parallel to the story of Bazarov and Odintsova, where deliberate alienation is unexpectedly resolved by a burst of crushing passion, the novel unfolds the story of Arkady’s rapprochement with Katya, a story that gradually develops into calm and pure love. This parallel highlights the tragedy of the changes taking place in Bazarovo. Friendship with Katya softens the drama of Arkady's unrequited youthful feelings for Odintsova.

She is held together by common interests: with Katya, Arkady learns to be himself and gradually surrenders to hobbies that correspond to the nature of his soft, artistically receptive character. At the same time, mutual alienation is growing between Arkady and Bazarov, the culprit of which is partly Evgeny. The feeling of love that flared up in Bazarov makes his student ashamed and increasingly avoid communicating with him. “Both sides are right to a certain extent” - this principle of ancient tragedy runs through all the conflicts of the novel, and in its love story it ends with Turgenev bringing together the aristocrat Kirsanov and the democrat Bazarov in his heartfelt attraction to Fenechka and with her folk instinct he verifies the limitations of both heroes .

Pavel Petrovich is attracted to Fenechka by his democratic spontaneity: he is suffocating in the rarefied, high-mountain air of his aristocratic intellect. But his love for Fenichka is too transcendental and ethereal. “So it will give you cold!” - the heroine complains to Dunyasha about his “passionate” views. Bazarov intuitively seeks in Fenechka a vital confirmation of his view of love as a simple and clear, like twice two sensual attraction: “Eh, Fedosya Nikolaevna! Believe me: all the smart ladies in the world are not worth your elbow.” But such “simplicity” turns out to be worse than theft: it deeply offends Fenechka, and a moral reproach, sincere, genuine, is heard from her lips. Bazarov explained the failure with Odintsova to himself by the lordly effeminacy of the heroine, but in relation to Fenechka, what kind of “lordship” can we talk about? Obviously, in feminine nature itself (peasant or noble - what's the difference!) lies the spirituality and moral beauty rejected by the hero.

Test of love. From the thirteenth chapter, a turn is brewing in the novel: irreconcilable contradictions are revealed with all their severity in the character of the hero. The conflict of the work from the external (Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich) is translated into the internal plane (the “fatal duel” in Bazarov’s soul). These changes in the plot of the novel are preceded by parody-satirical (*117) chapters, which depict vulgar bureaucratic “aristocrats” and provincial “nihilists”. Comic decline is a constant companion of the tragic, starting with Shakespeare. Parody characters, highlighting with their baseness the significance of the characters of Pavel Petrovich and Bazarov, grotesquely sharpen and bring to the limit those contradictions that are inherent in them in a hidden form. From the comedic “bottom” the reader becomes more aware of both the tragic heights and the internal contradictions of the main characters. Let us recall the meeting of the plebeian Bazarov with the elegant and thoroughbred aristocrat Pavel Petrovich and compare it with the reception that the St. Petersburg dignitary Matvey Ilyich gives his guests: “He patted Arkady on the back and loudly called him “nephew”, honored Bazarov, dressed in an oldish tailcoat, absent-minded, but a condescending glance across the cheek, and a vague but friendly moo, in which only one could make out “...I” and “ssma”; he gave his finger to Sitnikov and smiled at him, but already turning his head away.” Doesn’t all this, in parody form, resemble Kirsanov’s technique: “Pavel Petrovich slightly tilted his flexible figure and smiled slightly, but did not offer his hand and even put it back in his pocket”?

In a conversation with Bazarov, Pavel Petrovich likes to puzzle the commoner, unworthy of his aristocratic greatness, with an ironic and dismissive question: “Are the Germans talking all the time?” - said Pavel Petrovich, and his face took on such an indifferent, distant expression, as if he had completely disappeared into some transcendental heights. the simplest words, he assumes deafness." In the provincial "nihilists" the falsity and pretense of their denials are also striking. Behind the fashionable mask of an emancipated lady, Kukshina hides her feminine failure. Her attempts to be modern are touching, and she is defenseless like a woman when Nihilistic friends do not pay attention to her at the governor’s ball. Sitnikov and Kukshina use nihilism to cover up their feelings of inferiority: for Sitnikov it is social (“he was very ashamed of his origin”), for Kukshina it is typically feminine (ugly, helpless, abandoned by her husband). to play roles unusual for them, these people give the impression of unnaturalness, “self-delusion.” Yes, (*118) Kukshina’s external manners raise an involuntary question: “What are you, hungry? Or are you bored? Or are you timid? Why are you jumping around?" The images of these unfortunate little people, like jesters in a Shakespearean tragedy, have the task in the novel of parodying some of the qualities inherent in nihilism of the highest type. After all, Bazarov, throughout the novel, and the closer to the end, the more clearly, hides his own in nihilism an anxious, loving, rebellious heart. After meeting Sitnikov and Kukshina, the traits of “self-deception” begin to appear more sharply in Bazarov. The culprit turns out to be Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. “Here you go!” the women were scared! - thought Bazarov and, lounging in a chair no worse than Sitnikov, spoke with exaggerated cheekiness." 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 him. One of them is a convinced opponent romantic feelings, denying the spiritual foundations of love. The other is a passionately and spiritually loving person, faced with the true mystery of this feeling: “... he could easily cope with his blood, but something else took possession of him, which he did not allow, which he always mocked, which outraged all his pride." The natural scientific beliefs dear to his mind turn into a principle that he, a denier of all principles, now serves, secretly feeling that this service is blind, that life turned out to be more complicated than what they know about it." physiologists".

Usually, the origins of the tragedy of Bazarov’s love are sought in the character of Odintsova, a pampered lady, an aristocrat, unable to respond to Bazarov’s feelings, timid and giving in to him. However, Odintsova’s aristocracy, coming from old noble traditions, is combined in her with a different “aristocratism” bestowed on her by the Russian national ideal of female beauty. Anna Sergeevna is royally beautiful and restrainedly passionate, she has a typical Russian majesty. Her beauty is femininely capricious and unyielding. She demands respect. Odintsova wants and cannot love Bazarov, not only because she is an aristocrat, but also because this nihilist, having fallen in love, does not want love and runs away from it. The “incomprehensible fear” that gripped the heroine at the moment of Bazarov’s love confession is humanly justified: where is the line that separates Bazarov’s declaration of love from hatred towards the woman he loves? “He was gasping for breath: (*119) his whole body was apparently trembling. But it was not the trembling of youthful timidity, not the sweet horror of the first confession that took possession of him: it was a passion that beat within him, strong and heavy - a passion similar to anger and, perhaps, akin to her." The element of a cruelly suppressed feeling finally broke through in him, but with a destructive force in relation to this feeling.

Parallel to the story of Bazarov and Odintsova, where deliberate alienation is unexpectedly resolved by a burst of crushing passion, the novel unfolds the story of Arkady’s rapprochement with Katya, a story of friendship that gradually develops into calm and pure love. This parallel highlights the tragedy of the changes taking place in Bazarovo. Friendship with Katya softens the drama of Arkady's unrequited youthful feelings for Odintsova. She is held together by common interests: with Katya, Arkady learns to be himself and gradually surrenders to hobbies that correspond to the nature of his soft, artistically receptive character. At the same time, mutual alienation is growing between Arkady and Bazarov, the culprit of which is partly Evgeny. The feeling of love that flared up in Bazarov makes his student ashamed and increasingly avoid communicating with him. “Both sides are right to a certain extent” - this principle of ancient tragedy runs through all the conflicts of the novel, and in its love story it ends with Turgenev bringing together the aristocrat Kirsanov and the democrat Bazarov in his heartfelt attraction to Fenechka and with her folk instinct he verifies the limitations of both heroes . Pavel Petrovich is attracted to Fenechka by his democratic spontaneity: he is suffocating in the rarefied, high-mountain air of his aristocratic intellect. But his love for Fenichka is too transcendental and ethereal. “So it will give you cold!” - the heroine complains to Dunyasha about his “passionate” views. Bazarov intuitively seeks in Fenechka a vital confirmation of his view of love as a simple and clear, like twice two sensual attraction: “Eh, Fedosya Nikolaevna! Believe me: all the smart ladies in the world are not worth your elbow.” But such “simplicity” turns out to be worse than theft: it deeply offends Fenechka, and a moral reproach, sincere, genuine, is heard from her lips. Bazarov explained the failure with Odintsova to himself by the lordly effeminacy of the heroine, but in relation to Fenechka, what kind of “lordship” can we talk about? Obviously, in feminine nature itself (peasant or noble - what's the difference!) lies the spirituality and moral beauty rejected by the hero.