The novel "Eugene Onegin", the literary direction of which is the subject of this review, is one of the most famous works not only in Russian but also in world literature. He is of particular interest in connection with the fact that he opened a new page not only in the work of A.S. Pushkin, but also in the history of Russian fiction in general.
Briefly about the late work of the writer
The mature period in Pushkin’s life was marked by a transition from romanticism to realism, a striking example of which is his famous novel “Eugene Onegin”, the literary direction of which opened a new stage in the development of fiction in our country. In the 1830s the poet became interested in the history of Russia, he began to reflect on contemporary socio-political problems, which worried him more and more as the socio-economic situation in the Russian Empire worsened.
In this regard, he departs from the traditional romantic orientation and turns to a realistic depiction of the phenomena of surrounding reality. The novel "Eugene Onegin", the literary direction of which became a fundamentally important stage in this direction, became a landmark not only in his work, but also in the cultural life of Russia in general, an indicator of which was the creation of the opera of the same name by P. I. Tchaikovsky, which firmly entered the world musical repertoire and still does not leave the stage of leading theaters.
Features of the work
Pushkin’s novel in poetry was distinguished by fundamental novelty, since before him there was no experience in writing such works. "Eugene Onegin", the literary direction of which opened the era of realism in Russian prose, became a landmark event. It was written in a special stanza that made the work so beautiful in sound. Only the peasants' song, created in imitation of folk chants, and also Tatyana’s letter to the hero, which is written in a simpler language, as if to emphasize the sincerity of the heroine’s feelings, are highlighted.
Another feature of the work was a realistic depiction of Russian life in the second quarter of the 19th century. The literary direction of the novel “Eugene Onegin” allowed the author to delve into the detailed and detailed coverage of both the vibrant metropolitan way of life and the simple rural was of a provincial heartland.
Reflection of the life of the nobility in the novel
No work reflected the truth and reliability of the history of Russian life as the novel "Eugene Onegin". The literary trend of the realism to which it belongs proclaimed the principle of an objective depiction of the surrounding reality. This is exactly what Pushkin showed in his work.
The description of the capital’s life is colorful and detailed, since the author belonged to the nobility and therefore knew very well how his circle spent time. The writer very convincingly depicted the entertainments of the Petersburg nobility, their trips to the theater, banquets and feasts. At the same time, he mentioned the names of very famous people at the time, which was to give even more credibility to the work. The author’s remarks amaze with his wit and subtle humor. The reader immediately feels that he is becoming, as it were, a participant and spectator of these paintings, events and scenes.
Description of provincial life
It is significant that the names Pushkin, Eugene Onegin (the literary direction of the novel is called realism) are often identified: many readers have the feeling that the writer and his hero are one character: the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the main character are so believable and reliable . However, already at the transition to the characterization of nature and rural life, the difference between these people immediately becomes clear, which makes the work even more realistic.
The writer immediately declares his love for the village and nature, while the hero has a clear dislike for the village landscapes. The last topic deserves a separate discussion. The poet very detailed and truthfully showed the peaceful and calm life of the middle-class landowners in the Russian outback. He described their homes, daily routines, topics of conversation, temper and customs. These sketches, scenes and paintings are striking in their reliability, which is another undoubted advantage of the work.
The protagonist as a typical representative of his generation
The novel "Eugene Onegin", the literary direction of which determined the development of a whole stage of prose throughout the second half of the 19th century, has become a role model for many. Subsequently, many writers began to depict after Pushkin heroes as typical representatives of the nobles of their time. But the undoubted merit in this belongs precisely to Alexander Sergeyevich, who very convincingly and reliably showed and embodied in his hero all the qualities inherent in a young man from the nobility in the first half of the 19th century.
Traits of his character
The question of what kind of literary direction “Eugene Onegin” refers to is perhaps one of the most interesting in the study of Russian literature, precisely because it allows you to understand a lot in the personality of the protagonist. The image of the hero is a kind of cast from the young nobles of that time. He is lazy, untied, somewhat educated, somehow well-read and knows some tried and tested techniques for conducting pleasant conversations in noble meetings. However, his problem is that, for all his positive qualities and remarkable mind, he still cannot find his place, that is, is in no way able to occupy a certain social niche in society.
The relationship of the hero with others
One of Pushkin’s most famous works is the novel Eugene Onegin. What literary direction this novel represents is one of the most important issues for understanding the essence and inner meaning of this work. This question can be understood when considering the topic of the relationship of the hero with other people. The author deliberately contrasts his character with all the other people that fate faces him, and shows that he is not able to at least somehow establish friendly relations with any of them.
Almost immediately he was tired of the landlords, neighbors, his friends from high society. Even with the narrator himself (by which Pushkin refers to himself), he had serious differences of opinion, despite the fact that they found much in common. The latter fact is very revealing: indeed, in this way the writer deduced a new type of the so-called superfluous person, who was often used to reflect the nobility of the second quarter of the 19th century.
The reflection of the literary situation in the novel
The work in question is of great importance for understanding the development of various artistic movements in prose, not only in Russia but also abroad. The author’s assessment of the literary trends in the novel “Eugene Onegin” is very important for understanding the transition of writers of that time from romanticism to realism. Pushkin himself began precisely as a romantic: his first poems and poems were distinguished by the pathos of freedom of love, which he paid tribute to the era and his time. However, as a great artist, he soon began to look for new ways to portray life and people. Turning to realism, the author very subtly, witty and kindly joked about romanticism, which at that time was a thing of the past. Pushkin chose the famous English poet Byron, who set the tone for poetry in the era under consideration, as the object for his sparkling but good-natured laughter.
Opinion of the author about modern literature
In his novel, Pushkin cited many references to contemporary poets and writers, which further increased the reliability of his novel. He referred to many authors of the 18th century, to whom he was treated with obvious respect. In addition, in his work there are quotes from many famous poets of that time. For example, the epigraph to the novel was a statement from P. Vyazemskgo’s poem “First Snow”. It is these references that Eugene Onegin is famous for. The author’s assessment of the literary trends makes it possible to better understand not only the personality of Pushkin himself, but also the real historical situation in the development of Russian culture in the second quarter of the 19th century.
The meaning of the novel in literature
The role of the work “Eugene Onegin” can hardly be overestimated: it was it that laid the foundation of realism in prose and poetry. Under the sign of this trend, the development of domestic literature in the second half of the 19th century, the time that went down in the history of culture under the name of the Golden Age, took place. It is significant that the novel in poetry became the basis of a new literary trend. After all, all the largest works of Pushkin’s successors were written in prose, and their authors: Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Turgenev and many others - not in vain called the writer and poet their teacher. He laid the foundations for a realistic depiction of human psychology and a description of the surrounding reality.
No wonder the novel in poetry is known and popular in the West, where realism by that time also began to gain a strong position in culture and prose. Written in a light, beautiful and elegant language, the work immediately gained popularity among educated circles and the general reading public, rightfully deserving of the name “Encyclopedia of Russian Life”. And indeed, all the most important points, facts, phenomena and development trends are reflected in a light and laid-back, but at the same time deep and serious poetic form.
"Eugene Onegin" as the first experience of realism
The significance of the novel lies also in the fact that it was the first step towards the establishment of the great prose that Russian classical literature is so famous for . The type of “superfluous person”, deduced by Pushkin, in various variations was subsequently repeated in the works of various authors, somehow copying, adding, changing or deepening his psychological features. The first attempt to create a full-fledged realistic work was a huge success, which was appreciated by the contemporaries of the poet.