In the novel of Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, you can find examples of the most diverse relationships between the characters: romantic, platonic, family, friendly and hostile. Evgeni Bazarov is a very ambiguous personality, evoking the love of some and the hatred of others. His relationship with Pavel Petrovich, uncle Arkady (Arkady is a friend of Eugene, who invited him to stay at the Kirsanov family's homestead for the holidays) are especially interesting, since these seemingly complete opposites are not so uniquely antagonistic.
The dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich reveals new facets of each person. Read more about the characteristics of the characters of the two heroes and their relationship, read this article.
Pavel Petrovich - proud military man
In Pavel Petrovich, at first glance, a proud person is guessed. Even his suit reflects this. When the hero first appears before the reader, the narrator notes that he had long, neat nails, that although he is not young, he still remains an attractive man, and that Pavel Petrovich is holding on with constant aristocratic elegance. And how interesting are the disputes between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich! The “table” of their relationship includes oppositions even in appearance.
What is Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich arguing about?
While the narrator notices these conspicuous details, Bazarov immediately guesses in Pavel Petrovich a man who thinks too much of himself. In the eyes of Yevgeny Vasilyevich, his pride is unfounded and absurd. The dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich, their confrontation, therefore, begins with the very meeting of the characters.
When we learn a little more about the past of this retired military, we begin to better understand why he behaves in this way. This military man was the beloved son of General Kirsanov and, in contrast to his brother Nikolai, was always a man of action. By twenty-seven, Pyotr Petrovich was already a captain in the Russian army. He knew how to behave in high society, and was popular with women. Thus, Pavel Petrovich from a young age used to respect and admiration.
The rude young Bazarov from the very beginning was destined to become an antagonist of this person. They were united by extreme vanity, and even without taking into account the fact that the opinions of the two heroes diverged in everything, each saw a threat to himself in the image of the other. From the point of view of Bazarov, Pavel Petrovich is a proud old man in whom he himself may one day become. In the eyes of the aristocrat, the young man was an arrogant upstart who had not yet earned the right to be so self-confident. Even before Pavel Petrovich learned something about Bazarov, he began to dislike him because of his sloppy appearance and too long hair.
After Arkady discovered that Bazarov is a nihilist and informed about this uncle, Pavel Petrovich has a clue that can be used to justify his hostility to the guest. The nephew is trying to argue, saying that the nihilist is the one who critically evaluates all things, but Pavel Petrovich rejects this philosophy as a new fad of young people who do not recognize any authorities.
He compares this way of thinking with unsuccessful examples from history, in particular with the ideas of supporters of Hegelian logic, and with the manner of a connoisseur says to Arkady: "We will see how you will exist in a void, in an airless space." Paul appeals to his experience and wisdom and speaks as if he already knows in advance that nihilism is a deeply flawed philosophy of youth.
The debate about the principles. The views of Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov
When Pavel Petrovich involves Bazarov in an argument, he appeals to the English system of values. The main idea of this aristocrat: "... that without self-esteem, without self-respect - and in the aristocrat these feelings are developed - there is no solid foundation for a public ... bien public, public building." Thus, a retired military man connects self-esteem with aristocratic values, gradually developing this idea. So the argument between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich continues.
On the other hand, in the discussion he gradually turns to the absurdity of the existence of those who have no principles, and presents the enemy with a whole set of principles from high society that he considers undeniable. Although Pavel Petrovich might have begun to deny it, for him it is still important not only the presence or absence of values as such. More important is the presence or absence of aristocratic values. That is what Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich argue about.
As the plot develops, both the shortcomings and the merits of this aristocrat are clearly emerging. His military pride forces him to challenge Bazarov in a duel, which ends with a complete fiasco for Pavel Petrovich.
The point is not only that the old aristocrat is injured, but also that he had to explain to everyone that it was his fault.
However, the military’s statement that a person cannot live without values, and his sense of self-esteem, nevertheless ultimately justify themselves. We learn this mainly from the isolation and confusion that Bazarov’s attempts to find his place in the world lead to. Arkady, who was not endowed with such a strong will, but at the same time was not so devoted to traditional values, arranges his life quite happily. Almost without remembering himself, Eugene follows the path of a retired military man and gets confused in his failed love. The dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich at this moment seems somewhat absurd, because the life lines of the heroes and their behavior turn out to be so similar ...
History of Pavel Petrovich
When Bazarov begins to laugh at Pavel Petrovich, Arkady decides to tell him the story of his uncle, in the hope that this story will arouse sympathy in his friend. We learn that in the life of Pavel Petrovich unsuccessful love played a large role. He fell head over heels in love with a mysterious woman named Princess R. Pavel Petrovich courted her and, after he got it, his obsession with the princess only increased.
Rejected Lover
When his beloved fled from Paul and his family, Paul resigned and followed her. He was ashamed of his behavior, but her image too sunk into Pavel Petrovich's soul, and he could not get him out of his head. It is unclear what exactly attracted the military princess R. Perhaps, due to her mystery, that it was impossible to fully understand or conquer.
In Baden, Pavel Petrovich managed to meet her, but a few months later the princess fled again. After that, he returned to Russia and did everything possible to play his former role in society, although he did it without previous enthusiasm. After Pavel Petrovich heard that the princess had died in Paris in a state close to madness, he gradually lost interest in life and stopped doing anything.
The Irony of Fate
Bazarov did not like this story. He believed that it was not manly to give up after he was defeated on the love front, and suggested that Pavel spent the rest of his days teaching young people, and he could not do anything good with his own life.
By an evil irony of fate, Bazarov subsequently, like a former military man, becomes obsessed with Anna Sergeyevna and cannot cope with this feeling and accept the fact that he was rejected.
However, the disputes between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich do not stop there. Who is right?
Hidden motives
When we meet Pavel Petrovich, the narrator describes him like this: "A lonely bachelor, entered that vague, twilight time, a time of regrets that looked like hopes, and hopes that looked like regrets, when youth passed, and old age had not yet arrived." The vague sense of despair that possessed the hero could explain many of his actions. It also explains why he clung so desperately to his pride and his family, since there was nothing more to cling to.
As the plot develops, the softer side of the elderly aristocrat is revealed to us. Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich, the dispute between which never ceased, were certainly enemies. However, the real reason for his duel with Bazarov was that he wanted to protect the honor of his brother, and not his own. His last wish was for Nikolai to marry Fenichka and be happy.
Although Paul was not able to achieve his own happiness, he is trying to make others happy. The hero lives the life of his brother, but still he cannot forget the betrayal of Princess R. and become happy. He does not choose to be unhappy; he simply cannot be otherwise.
The attractiveness of Bazarov
The strength and weakness of Bazarov’s position in the dispute with Pavel Petrovich are present simultaneously. It's easy to blame Eugene. He thinks he is the best. He is rude. Eugene does not recognize any of those things that fill our life with meaning (love, for example). Bazarov's disputes with Pavel Petrovich sometimes cause bewilderment. At times, Eugene is so stubborn that he is completely unable to admit his own wrong. But still...
Bazarov is inspiring. For the first time we see him with the delighted eyes of Arkady, and later we learn that his friend is only one of his students. As soon as these two move away from each other, we begin to see Bazarov in a more objective light, to see him as a born leader. He is a powerful, dignified person. When Yevgeny Vasilievich says to Pavel Petrovich: “At present, the most useful thing is negation - we deny it,” the reader cannot but succumb to the power of these words and this person.
This topic is discussed in great detail in a dispute between Yevgeny Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich. The topics of their disputes cannot be covered in one article. We recommend that you refer to the source for a deeper understanding. The dispute lines between Yevgeny Bazarov and Pavel Kirsanov can thus be continued.
Final scene
Turgenev himself admired Bazarov’s strong, almost magnetic personality. He admitted that he cried when he described the scene of the death of Yevgeny Vasilyevich. The character of Bazarov is fully revealed in this final scene. He is not just an arrogant young upstart. This man was really talented and wanted to do something great in life.
Looking into his past, Bazarov thinks: “And I also thought: I’ll break off a lot of things, I won’t die where! There is a problem, because I am a giant!” Although he does not show the fear of death, yet its approach makes Eugene feel his own insignificance, and not just talk about him. Nevertheless, in the final analysis, the fact that Bazarov does not repent makes his character so convincing. Eugene is the embodiment of impudent youth with its illusion that we will never die. After all, why should we die?
Is there any use to negation?
When the novel “Fathers and Sons” was first published in 1862, the younger generation subjected Turgenev to fierce criticism, because the youth believed that Bazarov’s character was a parody of her. Of course, Ivan Sergeyevich didn’t have such an intention when creating the work, but at times Eugene really resembles a parody, but not of the youth as a whole, but of himself. One involuntarily recalls the severity of a retired military man sent to him: "He does not believe in principles, but believes in frogs." Evgeny Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov in their ideological debate reveal their strengths and weaknesses.
Bazarov has a complex character. It is impossible to put forward a simple argument against him, but Eugene was deeply mistaken. Perhaps it is his shortcomings, and not his strengths , that make the character of this young nihilist so interesting and convincing.