The composition of the conflict of generations in the novel fathers and sons of Turgenev. The conflict of generations and its resolution in the novel I

In the novel by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev "Fathers and Sons" is written about the conflict of different generations.

The protagonist Evgeny Bazarov is a very hardworking person. He likes the exact sciences, he conducts research and experiments. Bazarov is trying in every possible way to benefit his homeland and society as a whole. He does not like to talk about feelings, and he denies any manifestation of them. For him, creativity and poetry have absolutely no meaning.

Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov becomes his opponent - it is he who enters into a dispute with Bazarov. Kirsanov Sr. does not understand why the young man Eugene treats art with such disdain.

With each passing day, these two treat each other more and more with hatred and anger. It comes to the fact that they start a secret duel in which Bazarov wins. Yevgeny's victory is just a good chance, and he could also turn up to Pavel Petrovich.

After the duel, passions in the Kirsanovs' house, where Bazarov was invited, subsided a little. However, they did not treat each other better.

Arkady, who invites his comrade to visit his parents' house, also notices that Bazarov is not such a good person and in fact they do not have as much in common as he thought before. Arkady and Eugene considered themselves to be a society of nihilists.

The Kirsanovs are wealthy nobles, they have their own estate, a little dilapidated, but large. Kirsanov Sr. has a good education and is a very intelligent and well-mannered person. Arkady Kirsanov, while getting an education, met Yevgeny Bazarov. It was Bazarov who brought Arkady to the nihilists. Eugene has very few friends, or rather, there are practically none. All his friends and acquaintances at first willingly joined his ideas of nihilism, but then they all quickly dispersed. Everyone dispersed in all directions, who got married and took care of the family, and some found things more interesting.

Arkady was very sympathetic to Bazarov and tried to support him in everything. Over time, Kirsanov realizes that it is better for them to stop communicating with Bazarov. Kirsanov has a loving family, father and uncle. A little time will pass and Arkady marries a wonderful girl Katerina, whom he fell in love with very much. Kirsanov believes that he should put his family at the head and abandon Bazarov's obsessions.

Yevgeny Bazarov has none of this. His parents, of course, love him madly, but they cannot show their feelings to the fullest, so as not to frighten off their son. Eugene does not love anyone and believes that all people are no match for him. In order to satisfy his physiological needs, he does not need to love anyone. Enough for the girl to be pretty. The only person whom he considered his equal was the girl Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. Bazarov fell in love for the first time and wanted to own this woman. Anna Sergeevna refused him.

Bazarov will die trying to prove to everyone that he is right and that the manifestation of feelings is complete nonsense. He did not want to choose a family hearth and a loving family. I could not even convey my knowledge of nihilism to Bazarov. Yevgeny Bazarov died alone.

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The very name of the work suggests that it will resolve the eternal question - the relationship of generations. To some extent, this is true. But the main attention of the author is drawn to the conflict of different worldviews - liberals and revolutionary democrats, called nihilists. Turgenev created the image of a new man, a commoner by birth, a democrat by political views. In contrasting the views of a commoner and a nobleman, a democrat and a liberal - the basis of the conflict of the novel.

Among the heroes of the novel, the most active representatives of irreconcilable worldviews are Yevgeny Bazarov and "an aristocrat to the marrow of his bones" Pavel Kirsanov. Pavel Petrovich was a typical representative of his era and environment. He followed the "principles" everywhere and in everything, continuing to live even in the village as before. He kept his habits unchanged, although from a practical point of view it was inconvenient. And for the nihilist Bazarov, it looked simply ridiculous.

Pavel Petrovich is about forty-five years old, he is always shaved, he wears a strict English suit, the collar of his shirt is always white and starched. “The whole appearance of Pavel Petrovich, elegant and thoroughbred, retained youthful harmony and that aspiration upwards, away from the earth, which for the most part disappears after the twenties.” In appearance, in convictions, Pavel Petrovich is an aristocrat. True, as Pisarev notes, “he has no convictions ... but he does have habits that he values ​​​​very much,” and he “out of habit proves in disputes the necessity of“ principles ”. What are these "principles"? First of all, this is a look at the state structure. Himself a nobleman and aristocrat, he holds the same views as most of the nobles of that time. Pavel Petrovich is for the established order, he is a monarchist.

Pavel Petrovich does not tolerate dissent and fiercely defends the doctrines, which "constantly contradicted his actions." He likes to talk about Russian peasants, but when he meets them, he “grimaces and sniffs cologne.” Kirsanov talks about Russia, about the "Russian idea", but at the same time he uses a huge number of foreign words. He speaks with pathos about the public good, about serving the fatherland, but he himself sits idly by, satisfied with a well-fed and calm life.

But, seeing that he cannot defeat the nihilist in a dispute, cannot shake his moral principles, or rather, their absence, Pavel Petrovich resorts to the last means of resolving conflicts of this kind. This is a duel. Eugene accepts the challenge, although he considers it the trick of a crazy "aristocrat". They shoot themselves, and Yevgeny wounds Kirsanov. The duel did not help solve their problems. With the help of a somewhat satirical depiction of these events, the author emphasized the absurdity of Pavel Petrovich's behavior, because it is ridiculous and even pointless to believe that it is possible to force the younger generation to think in the same way as the generation of "fathers". They part, but each of them has remained in his opinion. Bazarov only succeeded in disturbing the peace of mind of Pavel Petrovich,

For young people, nihilism is a certain political and life position. Many perceive it as a fashionable fad (Sitnikov, Kukshina, Arkady). To deny everything: authorities, science, art, the experience of previous generations and listen to nothing - that is their motto. But sooner or later they will all grow up, have families and will remember their beliefs as the mistakes of youth. And now they are only trivializing the ideas that Bazarov preaches.

However, the protagonist gives an account of his thoughts, is firm in his convictions. He is interested in the natural sciences and is going to / continue the work of his father, a retired doctor, who does not leave medicine even in the countryside.

Evgeny scoffs at the "principles" of Pavel Petrovich, considering them unnecessary and simply frivolous. Bazarov finds that it is better to deny, and he denies. To the exclamation of Pavel Petrovich: “But we must also build!”, - he replies: “This is no longer our business.” Eugene speaks caustically about romantics, but, having met love, he realizes romance in himself. Life treated Bazarov cruelly. Not believing in love, he fell in love, but his love was rejected.

Examining the album of Saxon Switzerland, Bazarov says to Odintsova: “You don’t assume that I have an artistic meaning - yes, I really don’t have it, but these views could interest me from a geological point of view.” Bazarov is trying to debunk the inactive "principles", does not accept illusory daydreaming. But at the same time, he renounces the great achievements of culture (“Raphael is not worth a penny”), perceives nature utilitarianly.

Bazarov dies with the words: “Russia needs me ... No, apparently not needed. Yes, and who is needed? Such is the tragic outcome of the life of Eugenius.

The attitude of the author to his characters is not at all simple. The writer himself belongs to a generation brought up in German universities, he is a nobleman and a liberal. But he remarkably managed to show the change in the forms of consciousness, as well as the inevitable tragedy of people who are the first to take a step forward towards a new world order.


The main problem in the novel by I.S. Turgenev "Fathers and Sons" is the problem of the contradiction of generations, the relationship between fathers and children. Turgenev considers this contradiction from two sides: from the social (the conflict between aristocrats and nihilists) and from the philosophical (directly the conflict between fathers and children).

The social conflict lies in the confrontation between different strata of society: the nobility, who defends the existing order, and the followers of the theory of nihilism, who deny authorities, principles and values. Turgenev reveals this confrontation with the help of the images of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov, a representative of the aristocracy, and Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov, a typical nihilist.

Pavel Petrovich is a nobleman, in the past a brilliant officer who enjoyed great success in society. Everything changed his tragic love for Princess R.

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After her death, he lost hope of happiness and moved to his brother in Maryino, where he retained "all the habits of a secular lion" and aristocratic manners that are not typical for the countryside: reading in English, the habit of dressing in the latest fashion, careful care of appearance, etc. For Pavel Petrovich, aristocracy, the principles and foundations of the last century, culture are of great value - something that was valuable for the ancestors.

Evgeny Bazarov is the absolute opposite of Pavel Petrovich. He is smart, educated, interested in the natural sciences; has a thirst for activity, strives to accomplish something great in his life, is capable of development. But at the same time, Eugene is a materialist, proud, arrogant, cynical, dismissive of people, selfish, immoral. The denial of past experience, the reduction of human relations to physiological instincts, unscrupulousness (in accordance with the theory of nihilism) emphasizes Bazarov's disadvantages and exacerbates them. Everything spiritual that has always been important for mankind: art, love, friendship, kindness - has no meaning for him.

It is because of differences in world views, in values, in ideas that clashes of these characters occur, and, consequently, of aristocrats and nihilists. What is considered by the aristocrats as the basis of life is denied by the nihilists as obsolete, no longer true and hindering progress.

Under the philosophical conflict, Turgenev means directly the conflict of generations, older and younger. In the relationship between Arkady and his father, Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov, there are almost no significant contradictions, there is mutual understanding and warmth between them. Although at the beginning of the novel Arkady is presented as a like-minded person of Bazarov, as events unfold, we see that he is much more like his father in the way of thinking, and his commitment to nihilism is nothing more than an attempt to appear more mature, more confident and independent. Just like for Nikolai Petrovich, love, family, friendship are important for Arkady - what makes a person happy.

Bazarov's relationship with his parents is much more complicated: on the one hand, Eugene loves them, although he rarely shows his feelings; on the other hand, Bazarov is bored with them, he cannot understand and accept their way of life. Both father and mother of Bazarov adhere to the traditional way of life. Eugene wanted the closest people to share his views and thoughts, and they really tried to do this, although unsuccessfully. Hence the problem of misunderstanding of generations of each other.

Thus, Turgenev, himself belonging to the generation of "fathers", nevertheless stands on the side of Bazarov. “Turgenev did not like merciless denial, and meanwhile the personality of a merciless denier comes out as a strong personality, and inspires every reader with involuntary respect,” said D. Pisarev.

Updated: 2017-08-09

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"Fathers and Sons" is one of the greatest works of Russian literature. Each generation finds something interesting for itself in this novel, differently perceives the difficult author's position. This book has absorbed the historically important events associated with the change of generations and the emergence of new ideas. "Fathers and Sons" were written at the time of preparation and implementation of the peasant reform in 1861. In those critical times, each person had to decide on the position that he would adhere to. To join the already departing class of nobles, or to hold on only to the emerging class of revolutionaries. It was then that Turgenev wrote his great novel.

Throughout the work, our attention is focused on the relationship between the nobleman Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov and the son of a poor doctor Evgeny Bazarov. Turgenev gives a clear description of the main characters, and we immediately face a sharp difference in appearance, behavior and views on the main problems of life.

The romantic Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is in no way compatible with the democrat Bazarov, who is indifferent to love relationships. Between them, antipathy immediately arises, turning into heated disputes. It is in their bickering that different views on the social system, religion and people are revealed.

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“We love civilization. We cherish its fruits...

It is in these words that the conflict between "fathers" and "children" lies.

Bazarov and Kirsanov have absolutely different attitudes towards the nobility. Pavel Petrovich considers the aristocracy the main force driving the people and contributing to the successful development of society. In the eyes of Eugene, aristocrats are not able to act and benefit people. Bazarov, like a nihilist, is used to "acting, breaking", instead of sitting idly by, like aristocrats. But despite having such a strong quality, nihilists also have weaknesses. One of the downsides is the poor soul, forced to hide feelings.

In the dispute about the Russian people, the truth, of course, is on the side of Bazarov, who knows how to get along with the peasants. He soberly sees how "the grossest superstition is strangling the country." Eugene connects his activities with the "people's spirit", considering himself the one who expresses the interest of the people. Kirsanov and Bazarov are arguing about which of them the peasant "recognizes as a compatriot."

In disputes, the aesthetic views of the main characters also collide. Their opinions are not the same: Pavel Petrovich highly appreciates art, Bazarov, on the other hand, believes that Pushkin is “good for nothing”, playing the cello is “ridiculous” for a man, and a decent chemist is twenty times more useful than a poet.

Their relationship with the environment is also different. In response to the question of Arkady, who opposes Yevgeny, the nihilist Bazarov answers: “And nature is nothing in the sense in which you understand it. Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it.

Despite the fact that Bazarov denies love and laughs at the romantic impulses of Pavel Petrovich, in the soul of Eugene there is the ability to love and feel. Falling in love with Anna Sergeevna revealed the real Yevgeny Bazarov. His heart suffers because of the rejected feelings. In the case of Pavel Petrovich, love, for which he left everything, including his career, led him to spiritual death.

Thus, in the novel "Fathers and Sons" Turgenev displayed the struggle of two different generations, the struggle of the age of the outgoing and the new, only emerging. But, despite this change of epochs, there must remain a thread connecting one generation of people with another, only in this way is the progressive development of society possible.


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