The role of lyrical digressions in the novel "Eugene Onegin" is so high, and the information contained in them is so comprehensive that the greatest literary critic V. G. Belinsky compared this ingenious work about Russian life with an encyclopedia. In addition, he considered this work as a
historical novel, folk and the most lyrical of all the creations of the genius of Russian literature. Indeed, the lyrical digressions in the novel "Eugene Onegin" are full of thoughts and calculations of the author about human relationships, about the historical path of Russia, about poetic creativity, and much, much more.
Historical Evidence
In "Eugene Onegin" reflected all the events of Russian life in the first third of the century before last. A.S. Pushkin worked on his work from 1823 to 1931, and the novel describes the events that occurred from 1819 to 1925. Who is not familiar with this greatest masterpiece of world literature, who does not know his story and heroes by heart? Quotes from the novel entered everyday language. The ingenious music of P. I. Tchaikovsky from the opera of the same name also added charm to this work. There is no need to talk about the popularity of Lensky’s romance before the duel. And every Russian knows the famous lines dedicated to Moscow. Therefore, the great literary critic called this work folk - it is not written for a narrow circle of aesthetes.
Derogations - source of information
But the novel in poetry was made famous not by a simple love story, so beautifully described by the author, namely lyrical digressions. There are nine chapters in the novel Eugene Onegin. Many residents of the CIS countries of the older generation knew by heart the beginnings of almost every chapter, and the first to know the whole was generally considered something remarkable. And already in it the reader is faced with the first non-plot elements of the work. These are the memories of his love for Maria Volkonskaya, with whose family he was friendly, being in exile in Odessa, and discussions about the Russian ballet, his repertoire, the talent of Avdotya Istomina, theatrical mores, and the public. Alexander Sergeevich names all the major representatives of literature and art of that time.
In the first chapter, A. S. Pushkin talks about the life and customs of St. Petersburg, the high society of the capital, to which the young handsome Evgeny Onegin belonged. The role of lyrical digressions in the novel is difficult to overestimate. There are 27 of them and a little less than 50 lyrical inserts. It is in them that a section of society of that time is given - it is described in detail how people of all classes dressed, what they ate, what they fumbled about, what they read or did not read at all. The first chapter is fully devoted to the protagonist, tells about who the father was, how he promoted the state, what kind of education Onegin received, how enthusiastically he came to light, and how, after some time, the morals and way of life of representatives of high society were opposed to the hero of the work. Along the way, there are enough digressions with the storyline, in which A.S. Pushkin expresses his attitude to everything that the young nobleman encounters. The role of lyrical digressions in the novel "Eugene Onegin" was highly appreciated by the contemporaries of the poet, recognizing themselves in them, and all subsequent generations, grateful to the author for such valuable information.
Historical canvas
Why does Vissarion Belinsky characterize the novel as historical if it lacks historical figures and events? Because it is in the retreats that A.S. Pushkin paints with vivid and precise colors a picture of the life of a country that defeated the combined army of Europe under the leadership of Napoleon. The author deals with absolutely all topics, including economics - he talks about serfdom and taxation of peasants.
This is interesting because the action of the novel ends with the year of the December uprising. The role of lyrical digressions in the novel "Eugene Onegin" is highly appreciated, also because small details become known from them, which form the overall picture of feudal Russia. Even the kindest rural landowner, the mother of Tatyana Larina, forced the girls who harvested strawberries to sing songs so that they could not eat a single berry. And Yevgeny Onegin, whom the author speaks with sympathy, upon arrival in the village replaced overwhelming taxes with an easy tax. Someone from the researchers of the novel even suggested that the protagonist would later become the Decembrist.
Favorite heroine
All the sympathies of the author are on the side of the main character. If the enthusiastic Lensky and even Onegin, with whom A.S. Pushkin was friendly, he describes with mild irony, then the "dear" Tatyana in the novel is given only warm or enthusiastic lines. The lyrical digressions in A. S Pushkin’s novel “Eugene Onegin”, which are devoted to Russian nature, are connected with it. The author draws analogies between the simple and direct nature of the main character and the beloved Pushkin at any time of the year in Russian nature. He says that Tatyana loves winter, and then there is a beautiful sketch of a winter day, village boys rolling down the hill, trees in the snow, bright sun. All this is written in such an amazing language that the picture just comes to life, and it seems that it just smells like frost. A deep connoisseur of life, a delicate observer, the author believed that the Russian man is inextricably and harmoniously connected with nature, which is given a lot of space in the work.
The author is one of the heroes of the novel
The reader encounters arguments on the theme of nature throughout the entire masterpiece, the title of which is “Eugene Onegin”. The role of lyrical digressions in the novel is also significant because Pushkin, speaking about something, shares with the reader his views on this subject or phenomenon, expresses his point of view. It should be noted that the conversation between the author and the reader takes place in a relaxed way, and the work is written in an amazing language that is close and understandable to the inhabitants of the XXI century, and therefore is read easily and freely. Gradually, thanks to the retreats, the author becomes one of the main characters of the work. Before us is the image of a man who is erudite, wise and infinitely loving Russia.
Great transformer
It should be noted that this work was both innovative and one-of-a-kind - and this is the great role of lyrical digressions. In the novel "Eugene Onegin" everything that does not concern the main storyline, all information about morals, feelings, relationships of people, the fate of the people - everything that makes this creation of a genius unique, all this information is contained in the digressions. A.S. Pushkin himself spoke of the “devilish difference” between the large literary forms written in verses and prose. But in order for the novel to be read in poetry with such ease, the story of true, great love unfolds so smoothly, so captivates the reader, and besides, there was such a cognitive component - there was nothing like this either before or after this work. The ingenious, incomparable creation stands apart. In connection with the foregoing, it is necessary to recognize the enormous role of lyrical digressions in the novel "Eugene Onegin." Pushkin A. S. was a great reformer of literary forms, a talented transformer of the Russian language. And in the described work this topic is given quite a bit of space. Pushkin even sneers at the difficulties of spelling, saying that as beautiful lips cannot be imagined without a smile, so is Russian without spelling mistakes. The author of "Eugene Onegin" made the literary language popular. The digressions in this novel occupy the largest place and give it philosophical depth. Their range is so vast that even in the XXI century the validity of the words of V. G. Belinsky about the encyclopedic work is clear. Indeed, the retreats contain information about Russian life from A to Z.