This article will examine and analyze one of the works of the famous Russian classic called “Smoke” (summary). Turgenev Ivan Sergeevich is familiar to most ordinary people, most likely, only for his literary works, which have been part of the compulsory school curriculum for many years.
Atypical female image
Speaking of Turgenev, most likely, many people immediately think of the legendary Mumu, Fathers and Sons and Asya. But the novel under consideration is different from all the others. The female image of the heroine Irina is not that far from the usual image of the “Turgenev girl”, but one can say that it is completely opposite to him. As a rule, in the works of Ivan Sergeyevich, female heroines appear in pure and innocent images - they are naive and unspoiled girls.
Irina Osinina - one of the key female heroines of the work, became the exact opposite of the prevailing stereotypes about Turgenev's young ladies. Her image is quite impudent, full of ridicule over others and sarcasm. They speak of her as the possessor of a "embittered mind", which for Turgenev’s heroines is a kind of nonsense.
Difference of "Smoke" from other works of the author
Roman Turgenev's “Smoke” differs from his other works not only in the presence of a female heroine with an atypical image for the author. In this work, the main character as such is absent.
Nevertheless, the central character is here, and after reading the work it becomes obvious that this is Litvinov. But for some reason he really does not seem to be the main character, but only a character, for the daily life and everyday bustle of which the reader can peep from the side.
The hidden meaning of the novel
Some critics write that thanks to this technique, Turgenev (“Smoke”, the chapters of which we recommend reading to those who do not have time for the full work) wanted to show his attitude to the “heroless” time that he describes.
This work is really very different from the previous ones and the works of Ivan Sergeyevich written after him. It is important to note, considering the "Smoke" (brief summary): Turgenev himself considered it the only useful, correct and efficient work. Regardless of what readers and critics say about this work, it is worth recognizing that the opinion of the author himself has the right to primacy.
“Smoke” (summary), I. Turgenev
Of course, in order to fully imbue the mood of the work, it must be read in the original. But if for some reason this is not possible, in order to understand the general meaning, we can limit ourselves to an abridged version.
The events of the novel "Smoke" begin to develop in August 1862, in one of the German resorts called Baden-Baden.
The external atmosphere seemed joyful and sunny. The “chosen” audience present at this resort looked outwardly pleased, with glee on their faces. These cream of society very respectfully greeted each other, but then it becomes clear that in fact what to talk about with each other, they had no idea.
Turgenev very satirically describes those present there. Against their general background, it would seem that the only character stands out - a handsome man of about 30 with a manly face named Litvinov. He becomes the central character of this novel.
Description of the main character
The main character of the novel, Litvinov, grew up in the village. His father was a retired merchant family official, and his mother was an educated noblewoman. Memoirs of her say that she was a rather enthusiastic and kind creature. She weaned her husband from swear words, and kept her house, trying to root European traditions in him. Mother Litvinova called all of her servants to “You.” In the year when Litvinov entered the institute, she fell ill with consumption and died.
The hero himself could not graduate from the university. He did not stay in the capital for long, because his position was not particularly enviable: the guy did not have money, and he did not have useful contacts. Since there was no one to manage the estate of his deceased mother, but in the future it could bring a good income, Litvinov decides to go abroad and is studying there new technologies and the basics of agronomy. He spends some time in Dresden, and at the beginning of the Litvinov novel he is enthusiastic, he is sure that now everything will turn out properly, and he will be able to benefit his land. In Baden-Baden, he expects his bride Tatyana, with whom he is ready to enter, hand in hand, to a new stage in his fate.
Typical Turgenev girl - Tatyana
A writer who is famous for his ability to create the purest female images in his works is, of course, the author of the novel we are considering - Ivan Turgenev. “Smoke”, despite the fact that the central female heroine appears in an image not quite typical for the author, was no exception. There is also something bright and pure in him, and Tatyana, Litvinov’s bride, is his identification.
Plot development
While Litvinov is waiting for his bride and while away the time in one of the cafes, Bambaev comes up to him, as the author himself characterizes, “a good person, but among the empty ones ... who is always delighted with something.” He informs Litvinov that a certain Gubarev came to the resort, whom everyone here for some reason deifies.
Litvinov, together with Babayev, and in the company of a certain Voroshilov, go to the hotel, where this very Gubarev stayed. The culprit of the meeting was surprised and disappointed when he heard that Litvinov did not have any pronounced political views. He calls Litvinov "immature." Observing the behavior of the “elite” gathered around Gubarev, it becomes clear that most of these people are only gossiping and hypocritical. They also try to attach some importance to themselves, arguing about what, in fact, they do not have a deep understanding of. Gubarev himself at this meeting was, of course, the central person.
This meeting of “free-thinking” people treated him as the highest idol, and all the gathered all the time asked his opinion on various issues. Gubarev answered all with vague phrases, but his faithful audience immediately picked up these phrases as if they contained a deep meaning of all human being. Litvinov quietly left this meeting, so plainly not understanding what was happening.
Then he meets another character - Potugin, who, unlike the Gubarev company, seems much smarter. But he also has his own opinion on the future of Russia - he believes that everything needs to be learned from the West. After a long conversation with Potugin, Litvinov returns to his hotel room and finds a bouquet of flowers in it. From the servant he learns that a mysterious lady brought and left a bouquet.
Irina - an atypical Turgenev heroine
It turns out that long before meeting with Tatyana Litvinov had an acquaintance with a certain lady - Irina Osinina. The hero met her when she was a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl with special beauty. She belonged to an impoverished princely family and possessed impeccably regular features, blond hair and eyes of marvelous beauty.
Sympathy arose between the young people, and they had already begun to build joint plans for the future. In the midst of their romantic relationship, a ball was scheduled at the Noble Assembly, and the Osinins decided to bring Irina to the light. The girl resisted for a long time, but it was Litvinov himself who insisted that she take part in this event, which changed her entire future fate.
Having appeared at the ball, Irina made a real sensation with her beauty, and her success among the cavaliers was overwhelming. Taking advantage of the situation and realizing that sooner or later the girl will be able to make a profitable party, one of the Osinins' relatives takes custody of her, makes her his heiress and takes her to St. Petersburg. Litvinov is sent to study abroad, and the relationship between lovers is finally broken.
Meeting old feelings
While in Baden-Baden, Litvinov, strolling, stumbles upon a group of young generals resting on a picnic. Among them, he sees Irina, who is the wife of one of them. Listening to the speeches of the military and their discussions about the Russian people, Litvinov realizes that his former lover is now in a completely alien and ridiculous environment. She, having met Litvinov, apparently associating him with something long forgotten, but very close and dear, begins to look for more and more meetings with him, asking him at least for friendship. Gradually, it began to seem to Litvinov that he had loved this particular woman all his life.
I. Turgenev - “Smoke”: An Analysis of the Work and the Object of Writing Satire
Of course, in order to analyze this work, it must be read in full. But even after reading the summary of Turgenev's Smoke, one can understand that the author is trying to expose the thirst for power, spiritual poverty and intellectual dullness in a certain aristocratic environment.
In the case of the events described in the Smoke, it becomes clear that the group of aristocratic generals, as well as their feudal reactions, became the subject of Turgenev's ridicule. On the other hand, the work “Smoke” by Turgenev quite satirically ridicules the other side of the “enemy front” - revolutionary emigration.
Why the work is called “Smoke”
On the one hand, smoke can be called the whole incomprehensible and unspecific political situation in Russia that prevailed during the times described in the novel. On the other hand, the central character of Turgenev himself is in a smoke of ambiguity and uncertainty of his feelings for Irina Osinina and her bride, Tatyana.
Eternal themes affected by the work
Classical writers are usually called those authors whose works can be called exemplary and relevant at different times. Not in vain did Turgenev be ranked among the classics. “Smoke” (a brief summary of which can be read if there is no access to the original) proves the penetrating and profound views of the writer. But you can fully notice and evaluate this only if you read this work in its entirety. Simplified versions of this work, as a rule, shorten the main plot and leave the most important points.
Roman Turgenev's “Smoke”, read in the original, gives the thoughtful and attentive reader the opportunity to understand that many of Russia's problems in 1867 remained relevant to her to this day. In one of the chapters, the hero of Turgenev reflects with irony that as soon as ten Russians converge, they immediately begin to think deeply about the future of Russia, about the great destiny of the country. But all these conversations are completely unsubstantiated, unproven and are conducted exclusively in general terms.
Roman Turgenev's “Smoke” (a brief summary of which was given earlier in our article) demonstrates that our people always scold the West, considering it rotten. But at the same time, we always consider the opinion of this very West authoritative, the only correct one and for some reason we value it very much.
The Turgenevsky hero very clearly observes that the Russian man always needs the “master", that is, the one who could manage him, direct, instruct and always say what to do. After all, if a person has a high opinion of himself and knows how to order, he must definitely know how to, and he needs to be listened to. And besides, in all his mistakes and failures, it will be possible to blame precisely this master.
And the master, in turn, is envious of ordinary peasants and apparently believes that not burdened by unnecessary worries and problems, the simple person is much happier than him, because he does not need to think at all, but only needs to do what he is told. And the simple hard worker has much more time and energy for spiritual development and healing of his soul. “They stand in front of each other, and bow to each other,” Turgenev observes satirically.
Ivan Turgenev is quite rightly ranked among classic writers who very clearly see all the problems of the Russian people. “Smoke” is a novel in which it is very subtly noted that the Russian people always live in hopes. At the same time, he hates his homeland and loves madly. Despite the fact that nothing happens and does not change at home, the Russian people always live in the hope that everything will become better someday. To understand what Russia lived in the 19th century and to catch the general mood of that era, you can read the novel “Smoke” (summary).
Turgenev really was able to masterfully describe the everyday life of a simple man, Litvinov, his personal experiences and emotional throwings between two women, and at the same time accurately show the mood of an entire era and the general state of things in Russia, which are still relevant today.