The novel "Fathers and Sons," written by I.S. Turgenev, is a work about a conflict of two generations, in which the contradiction of representatives of the old noble culture and adherents of new views is clearly indicated.
The historical basis of the novel
Clash of interests between liberals and revolutionary democrats on the eve of events
1861 found expression in the work of Turgenev. The dispute between generations in the novel Fathers and Sons is expressed by contrasting the views of Bazarov and the Kirsanovs. According to Eugene, the reform will not be of any use.
The Kirsanovs represent an outgoing noble culture. Bazarov is a supporter of revolutionary democratic transformations.
The dispute between generations in the novel Fathers and Sons is about the situation of the people, their attitude to art, history, and literature. The book says a lot about the contradiction of two generations on a variety of issues, including the human behavior system , moral principles. No wonder reviewers call this novel a work of ideological debate.
Generational dispute in literature
Many authors touch on the issue of generational conflict. The contradiction of fathers and children is expressed in Pushkin's novel "Eugene Onegin." The main character of the novel by M.Yu. remains incomprehensible. Lermontova "Hero of our time." Lonely Chatsky in Griboedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit”.
In each of these works there is a dispute between generations. “Fathers and Sons” is a novel in which this contradiction sounds the main theme and involves almost all spheres of life.
The idea of abolishing serfdom and attitude towards the nobility
The generational dispute in Fathers and Sons emphasizes the need to abolish the serfdom. The work shows the difficult fate of serfs, the ignorance of the common people. The author voices this idea at the very beginning of the work in the form of thoughts by Arkady about the poverty of the people and the urgent need for transformations of the existing regime. Turgenev reflects in a novel about the fate of the country and people.
The author of the novel "Fathers and Sons"
I.S. Turgenev on the political content of his work says that his idea is directed against the nobility and rejects it as an advanced class. The author calls Arkady and his uncle, Pavel Petrovich, weak and limited. At the same time, he notes that these are the best representatives of the nobility. This state of affairs shows the failure of the aristocracy.
The author notes certain advantages of the nobility, but considers it to be a historically unpromising class.
The ideological conflict P.P. Kirsanova and Bazarova
The dispute between generations in the novel Fathers and Sons is especially evident in the clash of views on the existing order of things of Pavel Petrovich and Eugene.
There are four circles of questions that these heroes argue about. Consider them.
The first question is the attitude towards the nobility. Pavel Petrovich believes that aristocrats are those who contribute to the development of society. Bazarov, by contrast, says that aristocrats are incapable of acting and are not beneficial to society. The nobility, in his opinion, cannot contribute to the development of Russia.
The second question, causing a contradiction between the characters, is the attitude to nihilism. Bazarov does not recognize any authority and does not accept anything on faith. He is independent, has independent thinking, for him the essence of the problem is important, and not the attitude of others to it. However, no matter how practical Bazarov is, human feelings are also characteristic of him. He fell in love with Anna Odintsova and could not help explaining to her.
However, as Pavel Petrovich rightly notes, the extreme manifestation of nihilism may be the denial of
universal values and concepts that cannot be questioned. Bazarov rejects religion and morality, and affirms the obligation of revolutionary action for the good of the people.
The views of two heroes on the common people and their fate differ. Pavel Petrovich glorifies the patriarchal nature of the peasant family, religion. Bazarov believes that the peasants are ignorant and incapable of understanding their interests. It should distinguish the prejudices of the people from their interests. Kirsanov says a lot about the need to serve the fatherland, but at the same time he lives calmly and well. Bazarov is closer than Kirsanov to the common people in his social position: he is a commoner and must work. It should be noted that Eugene does not like inaction. Work captivates him; he does not respect idleness and laziness.
The last question that disagrees between the two characters is the attitude towards
nature and art. Pavel Petrovich blesses all that is beautiful. Bazarov is able to see only useful things in things and phenomena. Nature for him is a workshop where the owner is a man. He denies the achievements of culture and art, since they have no practical benefit.
The attitude of contemporaries to the novel
A generational debate in literature is a topic that has been raised by many writers.
However, immediately after publication, the novel received critical reviews from both conservatives and Democrats. So, in particular, Antonovich wrote that Bazarov was nothing but slander against the younger generation. The critic does not see the artistic value of this work.
Pisarev expressed a different attitude towards the novel. In the article "Bazarov" he justifies the indifference of the hero to the future of the common people. In addition, the author of the article is in agreement with Bazarov’s attitude to art.
The dispute between generations in the works of many authors is far from a new topic. However, it is worth noting that the novel focuses not on ideological clashes between fathers and children, but on the contradictions of the noblemen and raznoshintsev, who personify the future of the country.