The story of Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev "The Diary of an Extra Man": a summary, plot, characters of the work

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

"The superfluous man" is one of the leading themes of 19th century literature. Many Russian writers addressed this topic, but Turgenev addressed it most often. The starting point of this expression was "The Diary of an Extra Man".

About the story

Turgenev finished work on the story back in Paris in 1850. "Diary" and begins the theme of "an extra person" in the writer's work. The author addressed it before, but if the previous works were imbued with irony and controversy, then the basis of the "Diary" is a more objective and deep psychological analysis. The writer is especially interested in the problem of a thorough depiction of character, this is where Turgenev's psychologism lies, but on a realistic basis, and not a romantic one.

The author himself considered the "Diary" a successful work. In this story, Turgenev does not give an explanation for this type of people, does not reveal deeply ideological and social ties and relationships. But here the symptoms are already indicated, but the causes and methods of treatment are still unclear. The author of the "Diary" Chulkaturin is endowed with the features of a "superfluous person", but he still does not have thatintellectual and moral superiority over others, which Turgenev and other representatives of the literature of the 19th century will later note in his other works.

Summary

"Diary" - so far only a sketch that characterizes the "superfluous person". The composition of the work corresponds to the image of a thinking person. But Turgenev's hero himself is placed in a miserable and ridiculous position, which reduces the tragedy of his fate. This happened due to the fact that in the story the theme of “little people” merges with the theme of “an extra person”. This is not necessarily a small person, in subsequent works the author will clearly show how the rich inner world of the “extra person” rises above superficial education and aristocratic gloss.

Creating the image of the protagonist of the "Diary of an Extra Man", Turgenev acts as a master realist. Revealing the life of the "chosen ones", he does not forget about the vulgar, self-satisfied and spiteful representatives of the noble society. The lyrical tone of Turgenev's prose is gradually replaced by accusatory notes, which corresponds to the appearance of the character.

The author, through the words of the hero, ironically describes the society of the city: “tailored, as if from stale material”, “yellow and caustic creature”. Turgenev will resort to such collective characteristics later. Either revealing their types, or limiting themselves to mean sketches, the author will create a domestic background against which the moral drama of his heroes takes place. To fully reveal the image of Turgenev in the "Diary of an Extra Man"introduces the hero through his confession.

Alone with myself

Summary of the "Diary of a superfluous person" let's start with how the doctor told his patient Chulkaturin about his imminent death. Upon learning that he has two weeks left to live, he begins to keep a diary. He made his first entry on March 20. There is no one to tell his sad thoughts, and Chulkaturin is trying to understand how and why he lived his thirty years.

His parents were rich people. Father quickly lost everything by playing cards. From the former state there remained a small village of Sheep Waters, where he was now dying of consumption. Mother was a proud woman and endured family misfortunes humbly, but there was some kind of reproach to those around her in this. The boy was afraid of her and was attached more to his father. There were almost no bright memories of childhood.

After the death of his father, Chulkaturin moved to Moscow. University, a few acquaintances, the service of a petty bureaucrat - nothing special, the life of a completely superfluous person. He likes this word very much, because only it accurately conveys the meaning of his existence, and he writes it in his dying diary.

First love

“The Diary of a Superfluous Man” Turgenev continues with a story about how, in moments of despair, Chulkaturin remembered a small town where he was lucky enough to spend several months. There he met an important county official, Ozhogin. He had a wife and daughter Lisa, a very lively and pretty person. It was with her that a young man fell in love, feeling himselfawkward in the presence of ladies. But from now on, Chulkaturin blossomed in soul.

Lisa accepted Chulkaturin's company, but she didn't have any special feelings for him. One day they went out of town together, enjoyed a quiet evening and a beautiful sunset. The beauty of the surroundings and the closeness of a person in love with her aroused touching feelings in Lisa, and the girl burst into tears. Chulkaturin attributed these changes to his own account. Soon, the young prince N., who had arrived from St. Petersburg, appeared at the Ozhogins' house. A hostile feeling for the capital officer immediately arose in Chulkaturin's soul.

Opponent

Chulkaturin's dislike grew into anxiety and despair. Once, looking at his face in the mirror in the Ozhogins' house, Chulkaturin saw Liza enter the room and, seeing him, immediately quietly slipped out of the room, avoiding meeting him. The next day he again came to their house, when all the inhabitants of the Ozhogins' house had gathered in the living room. Upon learning that the prince had been with them all yesterday evening, the young man took an offended look and pouted his lips to punish Lizonka with disgrace.

Then the prince entered the living room, Liza blushed at the sight of him, and it became clear to Chulkaturin that the girl was in love with the prince. By a strained smile, by haughty silence and impotent anger, the prince realized that he was faced with a rejected opponent. Everything became clear to those around him, and Chulkaturin was treated like a patient. And he became more and more tense and unnatural.

An extra person

We continue the retelling of the "Diarysuperfluous person" Turgenev. Meanwhile, the district official was giving a ball. The prince was in the center of attention, no one paid attention to Chulkaturin. From humiliation, he exploded and called the prince an upstart. In the very grove where he walked with Lizonka, their duel took place.

Chulkaturin wounded the prince immediately, and he, finally humiliating his opponent, fired into the air. The Ozhogins' house was now closed to him. They looked at the prince as a groom, but he soon left without proposing to the girl.

Chulkaturin became an unwitting witness to the conversation when Lisa told Bezmenkov about her feelings for the prince. It doesn't matter that he left so quickly. She is happy that she is loved and loves, but Chulkaturin is disgusting to her. Soon Lisa married Bezmenkov. “Well, am I an extra person?” - exclaims the author of the diary.

On this sad note, the hero of the work "The Diary of an Extra Man" ends his confession.

Man of contrasts

Chulkaturin is a man of contrasts: without a name, but with an ironic surname; he is young, but terminally ill. He begins to write a diary on March 20, when life resumes in nature, and his diary comes to an end. Between the lines, a deep subtext is visible, showing that in the life of this person everything is contrary to spiritual aspirations. And the hero tries to comprehend himself, to realize the essence of his being - he begins to keep a diary.

As a result, he comes to the conclusion that he has always been superfluous in everything. Trying to comprehend his life, he recalls his love, which, as always in Turgenev's prose, turns out to be tragic. Long time hopingto reciprocity, Chulkaturin suddenly realizes that he arouses only antipathy in Lizonka. Deep disappointment led him to moral and physical devastation, to the realization of his uselessness. And the only way out is death. Soon his life was cut short.

Conclusion

In the literature of the 19th century, the topic of "superfluous people" was often raised and became one of the burning issues. History has led to the emergence of such a definition of writers. The historical events of those years played a certain role in the formation of individuals who suffer from their uselessness and restlessness, wither at the very beginning of their life path and in despair ask themselves the question: “What did I live for?”

The person called "superfluous" does not follow the beaten path of secular people. This is a type of person with a tragic fate. It was precisely such an “extra” hero that I. S. Turgenev brought to the pages of his story. The topic of the “extra person” is relevant even now, so many readers are increasingly turning to the books of famous writers, great masters of the word.