Quotation of Onegin and Lensky

Onegin and Lensky are two key figures in Pushkin’s immortal creation. And it’s impossible to understand the author’s concept, to understand the poet’s plan, if you do not turn to the analysis of these characters. The citation of Onegin and Lensky is the purpose of this article.

“We all studied a little”

What was the upbringing of the main characters? Let's start with Eugene, who grew up without a mother, was entrusted to tutors and received a typical education for the aristocracy of the century before last. He “could perfectly express himself in French”, while a profound knowledge of Russian, his native language, at that time was optional. Eugene knew how to behave in the light, which admitted that "he is smart and very nice." Pushkin, not without irony, speaks of a certain disorder in the formation of the protagonist. Onegin “knew quite Latin” in order to sign the letter and make out a couple of epigrams. He read the ancient classics, but "he couldn’t distinguish an iamb from a chorea ...". At the same time, he was more educated than his contemporaries. Eugene read the works of Adam Smith, which means he was interested in political economy. And although he was an eighteen-year-old philosopher (as Onegin's ironic quote characterizes), his critical perception of reality distinguished him favorably among young men who limited themselves to a “gentlemanly set” of reading books.

As for Lensky, in the text the author called him a "semi-Russian student" who from "foggy Germany" brought "scholarship". He was fond of philosophy and the art of versification.

"The spleen was waiting for him on guard"

The quotationary description of Onegin from the first chapter proves that the character of the Pushkin hero was complex, ambiguous. Eugene, like most contemporaries, spent his time at the balls, in search of love adventures, trying to fill something with his "yearning laziness". Onegin was not alien to pretense ("how early he could be a hypocrite"), flattery, but Eugene was able to drench the enemy with cold acrid epigrams. But he soon realizes the futility of the world around him. As the lyric hero of a poem by Lermontov said: "And life ... such an empty and stupid joke."

By the way, the quote characterization of Onegin and Pechorin from The Hero of Our Time reveals a lot in common between the two characters, including their particular aversion to human existence ("Life is not worth it to take care of it so ..."). Relatives of the heroes and the desire to find themselves in some business. Only if Grigory Pechorin ’s desire translates into almost demonic experiments on the fate of individuals, does Eugene act differently. At first he turns to creativity, but "nothing came out of his pen." In the second chapter, the hero even tries himself in practical activities, but also to no avail: hard work causes him to feel disgust.

Another thing is Lensky, who did not manage to fade from the "cold debauchery of the light." He is a very open, sincere person. At the same time, his figure is not faulty: the narrator observes that "the purpose of life ... was a mystery to him." That is, as the quote characterization of Onegin and Lensky shows, the nature and fate of young people had much in common. Both the one and the other did not have solid soil under their feet, affairs to which they could devote their whole lives.

"... We look at the Napoleons"

Onegin's ideals are indirectly indicated by the description of his room with the image of Napoleon and a portrait of Byron. Both figures were masters of the minds of the young generation of that era (we recall at least Andrei Bolkonsky from Tolstoy’s epic novel). In their mention you can see a kind of peculiar parting of the narrator with the passing, romantic era.

Lensky, however, remains faithful to eternal values ​​- love and friendship, because the hero believed that "the soul should be united with him." True friends, according to Vladimir, are capable of "taking the shackles for his honor."

“Kant's fan. And the poet "

From all of the above, the attitude of the heroes to poetry follows. The above quote onegin’s characterization of iamba and chorea shows that Eugene, if he was planning to start writing a literary masterpiece, would definitely not turn to poetic form. He did not escape poetry, although he hardly understood its true purpose. As for Vladimir, the narrator uses the word "poet" as a characteristic and even prophesies to him the fate associated with this area of ​​activity.

“There really are no charms ...”

The quote characterization of Onegin continues. Particular attention is drawn to the relationship of the hero with the opposite sex, and not only because the story of Eugene and Tatiana is the core for the plot of the novel. The assessment by the protagonist of this great feeling is direct evidence of how empty his existence was. The author in the first chapter mentions that "harder than all sciences" Onegin knew "the science of tender passion." In amorous affairs, Eugene was considered an invalid and approached relations with a great deal of pragmatism. For the sake of another love victory, he used various tricks: a look that was “quick and gentle, jokes and flattery. However, soon “he didn’t fall in love with the beauties” and “left them without regret”, Onegin’s quote characterizes this. And Tatiana’s feelings, so tender, naive, even if arisen under the influence of sentimental novels, were touched by Eugene .

The answer to the girl’s letter was the lover’s refusal (the terrible “I love you with my brother’s love”) and even more so - a sermon on his part. “Learn to rule yourself,” he says condescendingly, didactically, not thinking how cruel his words are. Of course, if love does not exist, because of a ridiculous joke it is allowed to kill a friend in a duel, and the family is only a burden, can the feelings of a very young girl be considered something genuine? And in a completely different way in love affairs Vladimir manifests himself, who is "obedient to love." He is constantly with his chosen one, walks with her and is even ready to write odes to her, but only Olga "does not read them."

Conclusion

The quote characterization of Onegin and another character, Lensky, is coming to an end. In conclusion, it remains to add that the principle of contrast in the construction of these images is not accidental (remember: “They converged, waves and stone”, etc.). Given a large number of similarities — both landlords, both to some extent “extra people,” Onegin and Lensky are complete opposites. And this is due to the specificity of the Pushkin method. If Vladimir has the features of an exclusively romantic hero, then the image of Eugene testifies to a new method - realism.