Fathers and Sons
When Turgenev’s novel Fathers and Sons was released in Russia in 1861, it received criticism from both sides of the political and generational divide in Russia at the time. The older generation, the "men of the Forties," who grew up and believed in the correctness of a social order ****d on serfdom, claimed that the characters were portrayed as caricatures, the men of their generation looking pompous and outdated while romanticizing the men of the younger generation. The younger group, the "men of the ***ties" however, claimed that the representative of their generation, the nihilist Bazarov, was portrayed as far too callous and radical to be accurate. The fact that the criticism was so wide and came from both sides illustrates the fact that Turgenev’s idea of the correct path of reform was different from the *** previous groups. Turgenev was a "man of the Fifties," and held a perspective in the middle of the *** dominant mindsets. Turgenev uses his characters to communicate his views. Through the Characters of Bazarov, and Arkady, Nikolai, and Pavel Kirsanov, Turgenev reveals his own views on reforming Russia.
The *** main characters, Bazarov and Arkady, are portrayed as part of the youthful Russian intelligentsia. They are the representatives of the "men of the ***ties." The *** men represent cleavages in the traditions of their country and relations with their elders, the "men of the Forties." They are members of the gentry but demonstrate a more pronounced interest and concern for improving the conditions of the peasantry than their fathers, a result of education and exposure to new ideas. The importance of education is stressed in formulating ideas of nihilism and reform in the minds of the characters. First hand observation of peasant working and living conditions combined with the introduction of the new ideas of socialism and equality served to motivate the Russian intelligentsia to help the exploited peasantry. They were all motivated to compassion and action through education, which sparked a realization of the discriminatory privileges the wealthy possessed.
The *** young men, Bazarov and Arkady, find it difficult to find much in common with either of their parents in their return home. Bazarov is a nihilist. He believes in nothing and especially denied the importance of any beliefs of the former generation. Nikolai, Arkady’s father, does not understand how the new generation can possibly shrug off all of literature and the arts. Here Turgenev is inserting his view that poetry and the arts are important. Bazarov is portrayed as a model to Russian youth for his ideals, emphasis on logic, and rejection of unproved authority. He is a focal point for the generation gap that exists with the men of his father's age. This is seen in the vehement arguments and eventual duel between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich, Arkady's uncle, who represents the opposite side of the spectrum from Bazarov. Pavel is an aristocrat and a romantic, and holds the conservative mindset of the "men of the Forties." He disagrees with everything about Bazarov. Petrovich laments Bazarov's existence and offers a duel to resolve their debate: "You, according to my tastes, are superfluous here. I cannot stand you, I hate you . . ." (Turgenev, 182). These *** men represent the extremes of the romanticism of the forties, found in Pavel, and the Nihilism of the ***ties, found in Bazarov. The fates of the *** men suggest that Turgenev finds both ideological extremes as ineffective for reforming Russia and instead prefers the intermediate views of Nikolai and Arkady, which combine the old and new generations.
Arkady, like Bazarov, also finds it difficult connecting with the men of the older generation. He very much looks up to his friend Bazarov for his strong political views and desire for change, yet also cannot seperate himself from the romantic ideas found in him, such as an appreciation for nature and art. Arkady and his father, once reunited, find it difficult communicating with one another despite Arkadys father Nikolai’s attempts to stay in touch with the younger generation. Although Arkady embraces nihilism, he maintains an appreciation of the arts, especially a love of music. He is first attracted to Katya because she plays the piano for him and the *** spend much time together in the garden of Nikolskoe. He is the model of Turgenev’s hope for the future since he represents both intellect and emotion, modernism and liberalism. Turgenev also seems to be stressing the importance of flexibility and open-mindedness in choosing an ideology. In an attempt to help enlighten his father to his and Bazarov’s views, Arkady gives his father a book of German philosophy. His father however, does not understand it, and disregards it as "rubbish." Although Arkady is more liberal than his father and especially his uncle, he is much more moderate than his mentor Bazarov. He is like his father in many respects; they both have an appreciation of the arts and nature, and are striving to cope with the changes they are witnessing in Russia and looking for the best ways to adapt while their extremist friends, Bazarov and Pavel, disregard anything which is not in their firmly-set views, resulting in their inability to find happiness.
The fates of the characters illustrate Turgenev’s position on the debate between the generations. He reveals his views as ones of the middle of the road, or as a "man of the fifties." Arkady and Nikolai find happiness in the end; both are married and become committed to improving the conditions at Marino. Arkady takes on the management of the estate as his father becomes an "arbiter in his commune for problems arising from the recent abolition of serfdom." Both are successful in making changes to the state of their home, a microcosm for all of Russia.
The portrayals and actions of these characters reveal Turgenev’s own views. While he creates Pavel as an unhappy and often ridiculous character, he treats Bazarov ambiguously and gives him a tragic fate. On his deathbed, Bazarov himself admits that "it's obvious … I’m not needed" by Russia. This suggests that Turgenev finds both ideological extremes as ineffective for reforming Russia and instead prefers the intermediate views of Nikolai and Arkady, which combine the old and new generations.
Although Fathers and Sons received negative and positive critiques from Russia's ideological groups, the novel represented the views of both the upcoming generation of the 1860s and the passing generation of the 1840s. In an impassioned portrayal of Russian life, Turgenev’s novel examines both groups and attempts to determine which could successively reform his troubled country. Through the de******ions of his characters, Turgenev validates his place as a "man of the Fifties," and establishes his view that modern yet cultured landowners such as Arkady and Nikolai would be more effective in reforming Russia than rigid and extreme idealists such as Pavel and Bazarov
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