Evgeny Bazarov: attitude towards others and a brief description of the hero

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

One of the main characters of the novel "Fathers and Sons" is Yevgeny Vasilievich Bazarov - a young nihilist, a student at a medical university, the son of an army doctor and a devout landowner. The image of Bazarov is very noticeable in literature and criticism and is the subject of constant discussion. The thing is what features I. S. put into it. Turgenev. Bazarov surprisingly combines rudeness and tenderness, arrogance and erudition, sensuality and nihilism. Separately, the question of how Bazarov shows his attitude towards people around him should be considered.

At one time he was considered a public hero, when it was fashionable to deny intangible things and sensations. Despite the fact that in addition to Bazarov, several more representatives of a similar worldview are given in the novel (Arkady Kirsanov, Kukshina and Sitnikov), it is Evgeny who is a true nihilist. With all his desire to demonstrate the novelty of his views, Arkady does not fully believe in the denial of love, faith and other feelings, sometimesforgets, revealing his true face.

Two other supporters of nihilism only boast of their views, poorly understanding the very essence of the phenomenon. But if Bazarov treats Kirsanov condescendingly, rather, even patronizing him, then Evgeny openly despises university acquaintances. However, quotes from the text can best demonstrate Bazarov's attitude towards others. On this basis, an analysis of the work should be carried out, considering the relationship of the hero with each of the characters.

Bazarov: attitude towards others

On the one hand, the hero is cynical and selfish. When he first appeared in the house, he immediately and without hesitation in a rather cheeky manner demonstrates his worldview, criticizes the passion of the owner of the house, Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov, for poetry, advising him to read German materialists instead. Bazarov frankly argues with his brother, Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov, almost ridiculing the views of the latter, and later even challenges him to a duel. Yevgeny skillfully manipulates Arkady, provoking him to replace his father's book with the one proposed by Bazarov.

But there is another side to how Bazarov shows his attitude towards others. For example, he demonstrates unprecedented delicacy, with sympathy and respect for Nikolai Petrovich's beloved Fenechka, a simple girl and maid in the Kirsanovs' house. He is gentle with her child, which immediately captivates the mother. Also, Evgeny nobly leaves the duel with Kirsanov, not ending it with a murder, but only shooting Pavel Petrovich in the leg. And he does have friendly feelings for Arkady, patronizing him andtrying to direct on the true path along the path of nihilism. In general, we can conclude that the attitude of E. Bazarov towards others in the novel "Fathers and Sons" is ambiguous, and depends on what the people themselves are.

The image of Evgeny Bazarov

Bazarov has a very specific, even repulsive appearance, he has long hair, rough hands, sloppy clothes. But at the same time, everyone around him surprisingly imbued with sympathy for him. Perhaps because Eugene is sincere in his statements, is not hypocritical and does not try to please everyone around, unlike the same Pavel Petrovich. Turgenev sought to create just such an image, fearing that, due to excessive straightforwardness, the reader would not be able to discern the true essence of Bazarov and understand the author's idea. The main contradiction in Bazarov's attitude towards others is that although he firmly believes in his ideology, denies any intangible things, he still cannot resist his instincts and falls in love with a good friend of Arkady, a rich and educated widow Anna Sergeevna Odintsova.

At first he tries to overcome his feelings, justifying himself by saying that he was impressed only by the “rich body” of a young woman, as if specially created for the anatomical theater (according to him). But then the nihilist succumbs to emotions and confesses to Odintsova in feelings. Love for Anna Sergeevna slightly shook Bazarov's views, but still did not change them. But she influenced Arkady, who revealed his feelings to Catherine -sister of Anna Sergeevna. Subsequently, the younger Kirsanov married a girl.

Evgeny Bazarov is a hero of our time

Thus, it is obvious that although the hero is too straightforward and even a little rude, he is still a kind and caring person, has some inner charisma. Its main advantage lies in how sincerely Bazarov shows his attitude towards people around him. He does not seek to please everyone around, does not stick out his advanced views, does not shout at every corner about far-reaching plans, although they really are, because with the help of materialism, Eugene seeks to make the world a better place, to make everyone happy. He devotedly loves his parents and tries to achieve everything in life on his own. It is these features that make him a positive character in the novel and allow him to be attributed even to the heroes of our time.