Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, the novel "Fathers and Sons" was written in a difficult time for our country - in 1861. The work takes place in 1855-1861. In those days, the war with Turkey ended, which Russia lost, and Alexander II came to replace the deceased ruler Nicholas I.
Consider in this article the attitude towards the Russian people of Bazarov. Indeed, through this hero the problem of serfdom, the plight of the Russian peasant, is raised.
Village Life Pictures
The main character of the novel is the Bazarov, a commoner. The attitude to the people of this hero is the most important theme of the work. The story begins with gloomy pictures of the life of the pre-reform village. Appealing to nature is no coincidence. Everywhere the reader is faced with desolation and ruin, mismanagement and poverty. Even Arkady Kirsanov admits that transformations in the village are simply necessary. We are talking here about the reform that took place in 1861, which, in fact, did not change anything in the situation of the peasants.
The origin of Bazarov
The closest to the peasantry of all the heroes of the novel is Yevgeny Bazarov. The attitude to the people of this character largely determines its origin. Throughout the work, he repeatedly emphasizes that he is a commoner, calls himself a medicinal son, a doctor. In a conversation with Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov, Yevgeny Bazarov responds with pride that his grandfather plowed the land, so the man, rather than Paul, recognizes his compatriot. Kirsanov, says Eugene, does not even know how to talk with peasants. However, can Bazarov himself do this? Attitude to the people (quotes from the text only confirm this) for this hero was also not simple.
But Eugene is right. Pavel Petrovich really can not only communicate with his peasants, but also manage them.
Maxim Gorky about Bazarov
As Maxim Gorky wrote, in Eugene’s relations with the Russian people, it should be noted first of all the absence of any “sweetness” or “pretentiousness”. The peasants like this, and therefore Eugene loves the servant and the children so much, despite the fact that he does not tear them with money and gifts. The peasants see him as an intelligent and simple person, but at the same time Eugene is a stranger to them, because he does not know the needs of the peasantry, life, fears and hopes, beliefs, concepts and prejudices.
Attitude to the protagonist of the peasants
They really love Bazarov in the Kirsanovs' house. Everyone got used to him, "the servants are also attached," although he teased them. Dunyasha giggled eagerly with Bazarov and looked at him significantly, askance, even Peter - and he “smirked and became brighter," as the young man paid attention to him. The boys ran after Eugene, "like little dogs."
How does Yevgeny Bazarov behave with peasants?
Not tenderness, but only anger causes the situation of the peasants in Bazarov. This hero soberly evaluates the people, their strengths: he sees superstition, lack of education, discontent and overwork. Unlike Pavel Petrovich, who, with tenderness, calls the people devout, patriarchal, but smelling cologne when talking with him, Eugene does not keep his distance from peasants. The Kirsanov brothers, landowners, are incapable of managing the household, are not able to establish business in their estate. Their household creaked, cracked, "like an unoiled wheel."
Attitude to the peasants Pyotr Petrovich
If the more active Nikolai Petrovich is trying to at least do something, then Pavel Petrovich evades any participation in affairs, limiting himself only to financial assistance. At the same time, he considers himself to belong to the stratum of the population, which, in his opinion, represents the main strength of society - the aristocracy. This person does not understand that he leads an idle and parasitic lifestyle, taking absolutely nothing useful and believing that by wearing an English suit and keeping his nails in perfect condition he retains a sense of self-esteem. As Bazarov rightly remarked, this hero considers himself a “sensible person” only because he “reads Galinyashka” and once a month relieves the peasant “of execution”.
The speech of the heroes as evidence of a connection with the Russian people
The speech of the heroes serves as a vivid evidence of their connection with the people. So, Pavel Petrovich uses a lot of foreign words, pronouncing them in his own way ("efftim", "principles"), deliberately distorting them. Eugene’s speech is characterized by accuracy, simplicity, accuracy of expressions, a lot of sayings and proverbs (“there and the way”, “song sung”, etc.).
The ambiguity of the perception of Bazarov by the peasants
Bazarov sincerely wants to help the peasants. He wants to "at least scold them," but to "mess around" with the men. But Eugene still does not quite understand the needs of this segment of the population, as evidenced by the scene of a conversation between Eugene and the peasant that took place on his father’s estate, after which the peasant said “so, talked something about him” about him. The author notes that Bazarov, who knew how to speak with peasants, did not even suspect that in the eyes of the latter he was "a bit of a pea jester." Bazarov’s special attitude towards the people still does not help him fully understand the peasants.
Loneliness of Eugene
As we see, Eugene is lonely. The Kirsanov family does not understand him, and beloved Odintsova also rejects him, the hero is not interested in the heroes with his parents, and his cut-off from the people is added to this. Why did this happen, what is the reason for Bazarov’s loneliness? This person is one of the representatives of the type of an early revolutionary fellow soldier, and it is always difficult for a new generation to pave the way, because nothing illuminates it, you have to go at random.
The consciousness of the masses has not yet reached the point of understanding the revolutionary idea of ​​nihilists-raznochintsy, and in the finale of the work Eugene himself understands this. He says, dying, that Russia does not need.
Bazarov: attitude towards the people
The quotes from the work cited above prove that Bazarov’s relationship with the peasants was far from straightforward. Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, however, sees the main reason for the hero’s doom not in the ability to find an approach to a peasant. It really is that he does not have any positive program, he only denies, therefore, another major reason for loneliness is the internal conflict that Bazarov is experiencing. The attitude to the people of this hero is thus tragic - he sees the needs of the peasants, but cannot change anything. But even in the face of death, Eugene remains as he was: not afraid to be weak, doubting, able to love, exalted, and this is his uniqueness and attractiveness.
Ability to love
The ability for true love Turgenev always considered the most important criterion for evaluating a person. The author shows that here, too, this character is higher than county aristocrats, including his beloved - the selfish and sincerely cold Odintsova.
Conclusion
Thus, it should be said that it was the main character, Bazarov, who raised the theme of serfdom in the work. The attitude to the people of this character is the following: he at least respected and loved the Russian man, wanted a better life for him, but did not believe in the soul of the people and, more importantly, was alien to the people, did not understand him.
Turgenev dedicated his work to the memory of Vissarion Grigorievich Belinsky (years of life - 1811-1848), the great Russian commoner. Bazarov’s attitude towards the people in the novel Fathers and Sons is not the attitude of an individual. The text reflected the breath of the era. The author reproduces the position of our country on the eve of the reform, and also portrays a new man who, in a clash with the doomed old world, is proving triumph over the aristocracy of democracy. Bazarov’s attitude towards the people is typical of the nihilist group of nazi generalists who were emerging at that time.
The plot and problems of the work do not lose their relevance, as evidenced by a number of films made based on the novel "Fathers and Sons". Since the beginning of the 20th century, there are 6 of the most famous Russian adaptations, the first of which dates back to 1915 (director - Vyacheslav Viskovsky), and the last one was released very recently - in 2008 (director - Avdotya Smirnova). Bazarov’s attitude to the people, quotes from the text and other information can be found in each of them.