Description
By: Ivan S. Turgenev (1818–1883)
“Fathers and Sons” is a classic novel that delves into the generational divide between fathers and their sons. Set in 19th century Russia, the book explores the themes of social change, rebellion, and the clash of ideologies between the older generation of traditionalists and the younger generation of nihilists.
Turgenev masterfully crafts a story that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. The characters are complex and well-developed, each grappling with their own beliefs and desires. The relationship between the protagonist, Bazarov, and his father, Nikolai, is particularly compelling, as they struggle to understand and connect with each other despite their differences.
The novel also offers a poignant commentary on the social and political climate of the time, shedding light on the tensions and conflicts that arose from the rapidly changing landscape of Russian society. Turgenev’s writing is beautifully descriptive and evocative, transporting readers to the lush countryside and bustling cities of 19th century Russia.
Overall, “Fathers and Sons” is a timeless read that explores the complexities of family, love, and societal expectations. It is a poignant and insightful novel that continues to resonate with readers today.
Book Description:
The fathers and children of the novel refers to the growing divide between the two generations of Russians, and the character Yevgeny Bazarov has been referred to as the “first Bolshevik”, for his nihilism and rejection of the old order.
Turgenev wrote Fathers and Sons as a response to the growing cultural schism that he saw between liberals of the 1830s/1840s and the growing nihilist movement. Both the nihilists (the “sons”) and the 1830s liberals sought Western-based social change in Russia. Additionally, these two modes of thought were contrasted with the conservative Slavophiles, who believed that Russia’s path lay in its traditional spirituality.
Fathers and Sons might be regarded as the first wholly modern novel in Russian Literature (Gogol’s Dead Souls, another main contender, is sometimes referred to as a poem or epic in prose as in the style of Dante’s Divine Comedy). The novel introduces a dual character study, as seen with the gradual breakdown of Bazarov’s and Arkady’s nihilistic opposition to emotional display, especially in the case of Bazarov’s love for Madame Odintsova and Fenichka. This prominent theme of character duality and deep psychological insight would exert an influence on most of the great Russian novels to come, most obviously echoed in the novels of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.
The novel is also the first Russian work to gain prominence in the Western world, eventually gaining the approval of well established novelists Gustave Flaubert, Guy de Maupassant, and Henry James, proving that Russian literature owes much to Ivan Turgenev.
