Quotation of Onegin and Lensky

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

Onegin and Lensky are two key figures in Pushkin's immortal creation. And it is impossible to understand the author's concept, to understand the poet's intention, if one does not turn to the analysis of these characters. The quotation of Onegin and Lensky is the purpose of this article.

We all learned a little

What was the upbringing of the main characters like? Let's start with Eugene, who grew up without a mother, was entrusted with tutors and received a typical education for the aristocracy of the century before last. He “could speak in perfect French,” while a deep knowledge of Russian, his native language, was not necessary in those days. Eugene knew how to behave in a society that admitted that "he is smart and very nice." Pushkin, not without irony, speaks of a certain disorder in the education of the protagonist. Onegin "knew Latin enough" in order to sign a letter and parse a couple of epigrams. He read the ancient classics, but "he could not distinguish iambs from chorea … to distinguish." 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 hewas an eighteen-year-old philosopher (as Onegin's ironic quotation testifies), his critical perception of reality favorably distinguished him among young men who limited themselves to a "gentleman's set" of books to read.

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

The blues was waiting for him on guard

Onegin's quotation from the first chapter proves that Pushkin's character was complex and ambiguous. Eugene, like most of his contemporaries, spent his time at balls, in search of love adventures, trying to fill his "yearning laziness" with something. Onegin was no stranger to pretense (“how early he could be hypocritical”), flattery, but Eugene was able to pour cold over caustic epigrams on his opponent. But soon he realizes the futility of the world around him. As the lyrical hero of one poem by Lermontov said: “And life … such an empty and stupid joke.”

By the way, the quotation of Onegin and Pechorin from "A Hero of Our Time" reveals a lot in common between the two characters, including their particular aversion to human existence ("Life is not worth taking care of it like that"). The heroes also have in common the desire to find themselves in some business. Only if with Grigory Pechorin this desire translates into almost demonic experiments on the fate of individuals, then Evgeny acts differently. First, he refers tocreativity, but "nothing came out of his pen." In the second chapter, the hero even tries himself in practical activities, but also unsuccessfully: hard work makes him feel disgusted.

Another thing - Lensky, who did not have time to fade from the "cold debauchery of the world." He is a very open and sincere person. At the same time, his figure is also not perfect: the narrator notes that "the purpose of life … was a mystery to him." That is, as the quotation of Onegin and Lensky shows, there was much in common in the character and fate of young people. Both of them did not have solid ground under their feet, a cause to which they could devote their whole lives.

…Looking at the Napoleons

Onegin's ideals are indirectly indicated by the description of his room with a picture of Napoleon and a portrait of Byron. Both figures were the rulers of the minds of the younger generation of that era (remember, for example, Andrei Bolkonsky from Tolstoy's epic novel). In their mention, one can see a kind of farewell of the narrator with the outgoing, romantic era.

Lensky, on the other hand, remains true to eternal values - love and friendship, because the hero believed that "a kindred soul should unite with him." True friends, according to Vladimir, are capable of “taking shackles for his honor.”

“A fan of Kant. And a poet"

From all of the above follows the attitude of the characters to poetry. The above quotation of Onegin about iambic and chorea shows that Eugene, if he was going to start writing a literary masterpiece, would definitely not have turned topoetic form. He did not shy away from poetry, although he hardly understood its true purpose. As for Vladimir, the narrator uses the word "poet" as a characteristic and even prophesies his fate associated with this field of activity.

There are no more charms…

Onegin's quotation continues. Particular attention is drawn to the relationship of the hero with the opposite sex, and not only because the story of Eugene and Tatyana is pivotal for the plot of the novel. The protagonist's assessment 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 relationships 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 no longer fell in love with beauties” and “left them without regret”, Onegin’s quotation characterization tells about this. And Tatyana's feelings, so tender, naive, even if they arose under the influence of sentimental novels, were touched by Evgeny.

The answer to the girl's letter was the refusal of her lover (terrible "I love you with the love of a brother") and even more - a sermon on his part. “Learn to control yourself,” he says condescendingly, didactically, without 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 Vladimir, who is “obedient to love,” manifests himself in a completely different way in love affairs. 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 quotation of Onegin and another character, Lensky, is coming to an end. As a conclusion, it remains to add that the principle of contrast in the construction of these images is not accidental (remember: "They came together, the waves and the stone," etc.). In the presence of a large number of similarities - both landowners, both to some extent are "superfluous people" - Onegin and Lensky are complete opposites. And this is due to the specifics of Pushkin's method. If Vladimir has the features of an exclusively romantic hero, then the image of Yevgeny testifies to a new method - realism.