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"Eugene Onegin" in Russian criticism

Head: Petkun Lyudmila Prokhorovna

Introduction

1. “Eugene Onegin” in the life of A.S. Pushkin

2. “Eugene Onega in Russian criticism”

2.1 N.Ya. Nightingale "Eugene Onegin"

2.2 A. Slonimsky “Pushkin’s Mastery”

2.3 V.G. Belinsky "Eugene Onegin"

3. Comments on the novel “Eugene Onegin”

3.1 Yu.M. Lotman "Eugene Onegin"

3.2 N.L. Brodsky "Eugene Onegin"

4. A.S. Pushkin about “Eugene Onegin” in letters to friends

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

The novel "Eugene Onegin" occupies central place in the poet's work. This is his biggest, most popular work, which had a strong influence on the fate of Russian literature. While working on a novel, the poet writes to Vyazemsky: “Now I’m not writing a novel, but a novel in verse - a devilish difference.” Indeed, working on a novel is a colossal effort. Pushkin worked on this novel for 8 years. His characters, plot, and writing style developed and grew with him. Work on the novel took place during the transition from romanticism to realism in creative life A.S. Pushkin. No wonder V.G. Belinsky called the novel “an encyclopedia of Russian life.” This work reflects the life and lifestyle of society early XIX century, in the person of the main characters - typical representatives that time. “In the person of Onegin, Lensky and Tatyana, Pushkin portrayed Russian society in one of the phases of his education, his development and with what truth, with what fidelity, how fully and artistically he depicted it,” Belinsky said.

In general, what is literary criticism? Literary criticism- region literary creativity on the verge of art ( fiction) and the science of literature (literary criticism). Engaged in the interpretation and evaluation of works of literature from the point of view of modernity (including pressing problems of social and spiritual life) and the personal views of the critic; identifies and approves creative principles literary trends; has an active influence on literary process, as well as directly on the formation public consciousness; relies on the theory and history of literature, philosophy, aesthetics. It is often journalistic, political and topical in nature, intertwined with journalism.

Abstract objectives:

1. Get acquainted with criticism of the novel “Eugene Onegin”.

2. Find out the attitude of critics towards the novel, their opinions.

3. Analyze critical articles.

4. Draw a conclusion.

1 . “Eugene Onegin” in the life of A.S.Pushkin

literary criticism Onegin Pushkin

Pushkin began writing “Eugene Onegin” in May 1823 in Chisinau, and finished it on September 25, 1830 in Boldino. In 1831, Pushkin again turned to the novel. According to the plan, the novel was supposed to have nine chapters, but subsequently the author removed the eighth chapter and put the ninth in its place. The tenth chapter was also written, but the poet burned it. In 1833, the novel was published and contained eight chapters.

Since Pushkin wrote the novel for about 8 years, it is difficult to give detailed history writing. However, in the book by Yu.M. I found some references to Lotman:

Period in Mikhailovsky (1824-1826):

“On September 26, 1824, Pushkin wrote the poem “Conversation of a Bookseller with a Poet,” which he published as a preface to separate publication first chapter of Eugene Onegin. It was a declaration of the poet’s right to a truthfully prosaic attitude towards life.” “In February 1825, the first chapter of the novel was published...” During his stay at Mikhailovsky, Pushkin finishes the third chapter of the novel and works on the fourth, fifth and sixth. “Creative thinking follows complex paths: at the beginning of January 1826, Pushkin finally ends the fourth chapter of Eugene Onegin with humorous verses about the preference that he has been giving for some time to Bordeaux wine compared to Ai champagne. Then, with feverish haste, the fifth and then the sixth chapter of the novel are written, stanzas dedicated to Odessa, which were later included in Onegin’s Travels.

“The duality of his attitude towards the world was deeply unusual for Pushkin and filled him with inner restlessness and dissatisfaction with himself. An interesting paradox emerges in the relationship between life and creativity: while in “Poltava” truth is equated with calm historical view in the perspective of a century-long distance (“A hundred years have passed...”), while the rebellious Onegin is condemned and Tatiana’s wise humility is opposed to him...”

Later, Pushkin realized that the movement begun in Mikhailovsky needed to be stopped. 1830 was a year of completion: “Eugene Onegin” was completed, the small tragedies conceived in Mikhailovsky were written, the first completed prose works- “Belkin's Tales”.

2 . "Eugene Onegin" in Russianth criticism

In criticism and literary criticism, the assessment of “Eugene Onegin” has long been strengthened as central work Pushkin. Therefore, the novel received considerable attention even from those critics who, due to their conservative ideological and aesthetic positions, denied it serious social and literary significance. "Eugene Onegin" - the first realistic novel in the history of literature - became a work around which there were debates about the tasks and directions of art, about artistic method, about genres, style. The severity of the controversy surrounding “Eugene Onegin”, the clash of different points of view in illuminating its concept and images, Special attention to him in Russian history social thought- all this is explained by its exceptional social, artistic, and general cultural significance. Reproducing the Russian life of the era, reflecting the most pressing issues of our time, Pushkin at the same time put forward in his novel problems that go far beyond the time of its creation and have a broad nationwide, national and universal resonance - problems of the meaning of life, the relationship between man and the social environment , civic and moral duty, nationality and humanism. As we will see later, it was precisely these problems that arose in one form or another in Russian criticism and literary criticism when covering and interpreting the novel.

The literature about “Eugene Onegin” is truly immense. There are almost no studies about Pushkin’s work that would not, to one degree or another, concern the novel, its content or images. In this chapter we will touch only on the main directions in understanding the novel and works that most clearly reflect the history of its assessment and study, as well as express various trends in the development of problems related to it.

2.1 N.Ya Solovey “Eugene Onegin”

Nikolai Yakovlevich Solovey is a Russian playwright.

In his critical article N.Ya. Nightingale paid great attention the birth of the idea for “Eugene Onegin”: “The novel in verse was conceived at a time when the poet became disillusioned with romanticism, but did not immediately come to understand the new, realistic tasks of fiction.” Speaking about the romantic crisis in the work of A.S. Pushkin, Nikolai Yakovlevich draws a parallel between romantic works, for example “The Demon”, “The Sower”, and paid much attention to the poem “Gypsies”.

"Eugene Onegin - central character novel in verse. Understanding this image and its artistic embodiment Pushkin worked for over ten years. The difficulty of implementing the plan was that for the first time in the history of Russian literature centrally work of art big genre form became a contemporary” - in these words N.Ya. The Nightingale begins the chapter about Onegin. The critic identified 5 stages of Pushkin’s work on this image:

Stage I:

This stage refers to the creation of the first to fourth chapters (1823-1825). “Already in the first chapter, Pushkin describes in detail the actions of a young man who lived eight years of distracted social life in St. Petersburg.” In general, this stage is devoted to creating the image of the main character, in these chapters he gets his further development concept of Onegin's character. Solovey notes that society played a big role in Onegin’s disappointment in life: “The influence of the social environment on the formation of such properties of the hero as disappointment in life, selfishness, individualism is shown in the first four chapters of the novel.”

Stage II:

The second stage of work on the image began in 1826. It is worth noting that at this time in public life Important events are taking place in Russia: the Decembrist uprising was suppressed (December 14, 1825), the investigation and trial of its participants took place, the leaders of the uprising were executed.

N.Ya. Nightingale says that in this chapter the poet “for the first time depicts in sufficient detail provincial nobility as part of the social environment where Onegin’s life takes place.” Onegin has almost no effect at the beginning of the fifth chapter, he only “appears in Tatyana’s ominous dream as a fatal figure in relation to Lensky.” However, in the second part, Onegin already appears “in a real-life, not a fantasy situation” at Tatiana’s name day. In the actions of the hero, the egoistic peculiarity of his character is again felt.

In the sixth chapter, where the duel is described, Pushkin shows “the dependence of the behavior of a contemporary person on public opinion, from the morals of the environment."

Stage III:

The third stage is associated with the work on the seventh chapter (1827-1828). In this chapter, Onegin does not appear on the pages of the novel; he is characterized through the perception of Tatyana, who is trying to unravel him. She reads books belonging to Onegin, who:

“Although we know that Eugene has long ceased to love reading, However, He excluded several creations from disgrace: The Singer Gyaur and Juan Yes, with him two or three more novels, In which the century is reflected modern man Depicted quite correctly With his immoral soul, Selfish and dry, Dreams devoted immensely, With his embittered mind, Seething in empty action.”

This chapter traces the similarities between Onegin and Byron's heroes. So isn't Onegin a parody? “For Pushkin, Onega is not a parody. The poet takes under the protection of his hero with his “inimitable strangeness.”

Stages IV and V:

These stages relate to the period 1829-1830. These are the final chapters of the novel, eighth, ninth and tenth.

The eighth chapter was entitled "The Journey", which was not included in the canonical text. The author did new step in the development of the hero’s relationship with society: “Already in the first stanzas of the chapter “Wandering,” the theme of Onegin as an “extra” person in noble society" The same theme is repeated in chapter nine.

The last, tenth chapter is the final (eighth chapter) in final version novel. In this chapter inner world Onegin is characterized by his letter to Tatyana. “Only the changed Onegin could fall in love with Tatyana, and his letter is the most vivid evidence of the changes that have taken place in him.

Lensky's death made life in the village painful for him:

“From everything that is dear to the heart, Then I tore my heart away; Strange to everyone, not bound by anything, I thought: freedom and peace are a substitute for happiness. My God! How wrong I was, how I was punished!”

Indifference to everything, living only for himself did not give him satisfaction. Onegin sees his happiness and salvation in love:

“No, to see you every minute, to follow you everywhere, a smile of the mouth, a movement of the eyes.

To catch you with loving eyes, to listen to you for a long time, to understand with your soul all your perfection, to freeze before you in agony, to turn pale and fade away... that’s bliss!” Thus, having examined the stages of work on creating the image of Onegin, N.Ya. Nightingale traced the evolution of the development of the main character, and consideration of the concept of the work helped him to better understand the character of Onegin.

2 .2 A.Slonimsky “The Mastery of Pushkin”

The work of A. Slonimsky is called “The Mastery of Pushkin.” This book presents detailed descriptions many of the poet's works, including "Eugene Onegin".

Slonimsky immediately begins by analyzing the image of the author: “The author in the first chapter acts as a “good friend” of Onegin. At times he even displaces his hero, attributing to him his own thoughts and moods:

“I was embittered, he was sullen; We both knew the game of passion: Life tormented both of us; The heat died down in both hearts; Both were awaited by the malice of Blind Fortune and people in the very morning of our days.”

This is a biography of Pushkin himself, and, strictly speaking, has nothing to do with Onegin, because, as can be seen from the foregoing, he was not haunted in his youth by any “malice of blind Fortune and people.” On the contrary, in the world he was greeted warmly from the first steps:

“...The world decided that he was smart and very nice.”

The next stage in the analysis of “Eugene Onegin” is the image of Tatiana. Slonimsky writes: “Tatyana is a “county young lady”, one of those about whom Pushkin wrote later (in “The Young Lady - Peasant”).” “Tatiana’s beauty is not in her “marble”, plastic beauty, but in that inner “life”, the absence of which Onegin notices in her sister: “Olga has no life in her features.”

Slonimsky pays great attention to the love story of Tatiana and Onegin: “The love story of Tatiana and Onegin does without major events. It all takes place in a peaceful environment and is made up of small psychological moves.”

According to A. Slonimsky, “Onegin occupies a passive position in the action of the novel: Tatyana declares her love to him, Lensky challenges him to a duel, but own initiative almost invisible."

As for Lensky, Slonimsky mentions him in passing and does not focus much attention on him. However, he dwelled in detail on his poems, refuting the opinion that they are parodies: “Lensky’s poems receive parody against the background of Pushkin’s speech, they are preceded by the following lines:

“Takes a pen; his poems, Full of love nonsense, resound and flow. He reads them aloud, in lyrical fervor, like Delvig drunk at a feast.”

A. Slonimsky concludes his article with the speech of the characters: “Each character (in addition to his direct speech) contributes to author's story their speech structure (which, of course, entails a certain structure of concepts and ideas): Onegin - ironic, Tatyana - village, estate, Lensky - romantic, all the others (Larins, Zaretsky, etc.) - everyday, characteristic of one or another environment - landowners, army, etc., such as, for example, the “dashing” transition to Zaretsky:

“Forward, forward, my story! A new face is calling us.”

Thus, it can be noted that the peculiarity of A. Slonimsky’s article is that he did not specifically describe each character, but followed the chronology of the novel. He traced the relationship between the characters, revealed the peculiarities of their speech and manner of conversation.

2 .3 V.G. Belinsky "Eugene Onegin"

“Encyclopedia of Russian life and to the highest degree folk work"V.G. Belinsky named Pushkin's novel, revealing in two articles entitled "Pushkin's Works" the enormous merits of the novel, making it a great work of Russian literature.

Belinsky calls the novel historical, folk, national: “Eugene Onegin” is a historical poem.” “Pushkin was national at heart; he found national elements in a life half accustomed to forms alien to it.” "Eugene Onegin" is the first national work of art."

Belinsky compares the works of Pushkin and Byron, and concludes that “the form of Eugene Onegin was invented by Byron, but when comparing we do not find anything in common except this form and manner of writing. Byron wrote about Europe - for Europe, Pushkin about Russia - for Russia.”

Speaking about the images of the main characters, Belinsky noted that “in the person of Onegin, Lensky and Tatyana, Pushkin depicted Russian society in one of the phases of its education, its development...”

Characterizing Onegin, Belinsky notes that most of the public completely denied the soul and heart in Onegin, saw in him a cold, dry and selfish person by nature. However, in his opinion, this is not entirely true: “Onegin is neither cold, nor dry, nor callous, there is poetry in his soul...”, “ Savor did not kill Onegin’s feelings, but only cooled them.” “The inactivity and vulgarity of life choke him, he doesn’t even know what he needs, what he wants, but he knows that he doesn’t need, what he doesn’t want,” writes Belinsky. Dissatisfaction with oneself and the environment is characteristic of Pushkin's hero. This dissatisfaction is evidence of how much higher Onegin is secular society. Belinsky calls his egoism suffering from egoism, egoism involuntarily, due to historical circumstances.

In the image of Tatyana, Belinsky sees “a somewhat complex, but deep nature.” A simple village girl, then a society lady, Tatyana retains her inner essence in any life situations, she is “an exceptional being; deep, loving, passionate nature.” Dramatic fate noble youth of the Decembrist era is expressed not only in the image of Onegin, but also in the image of Lensky. Tatyana is opposed to Onegin and Lensky in the novel; she is close to native people, Russian nature, her image helps to reveal the main idea of ​​the novel: only communication with the people can save the intelligentsia, make their life meaningful, their work useful. In his article, Belinsky realistically presented his opinion and the opinion of the society of his time. Having analyzed and analyzed the novel from a historical point of view, he came to the conclusion that “Eugene Onegin” is “an encyclopedia of Russian life.”

3 . Comments to poman "Eugene Onegin"

The main task of the commentary is to provide an opportunity to expand

evaluate the value of the text, clarify unclear points or express disagreement with the author. However, in in some cases comments can be more valuable than the text itself. Typically, comments are your own thoughts, partially expressing the opinion of the commentator. Less often - quotes from any sources or images. Comments are often speculative or personal judgments and are not necessarily accurate.

Literary commentaries most often explain some lines or passages from the text. This helps the reader understand what the author wanted to say and understand the idea contained in this passage.

3 .1 Y.M. Lotman “Eugene Onegin”.A comment

In this article, Lotman explains lines from the novel “Eugene Onegin”. However, there are some elements of criticism at the beginning.

The first thing Lotman's commentary begins with is internal chronology"Eugene Onegin". In this part, the critic talks about the time of the events that occurred in the novel: “1811-1812 - the end of Onegin’s “study” and his release into the world.” Counting the time from the winter of 1819 - spring of 1820 (the time of action of Chapter I), Pushkin writes:

“This is how he killed eight years old,

Having lost the best light of life.”

Y. Lotman talks in detail about the life of the nobility, about their interests and activities, about housing, entertainment and balls: “Dancing takes up a significant place in the novel; The author’s digressions are devoted to them; they play a large role in the plot.”

A very interesting article by Y. Lotman about the title of the work: “Eugene Onegin - the choice of the title and name of the main character was not accidental. This choice determined the genre nature of the text and the nature of the reader's expectations. The inclusion in the title of not only the first name, but also the surname of the hero, moreover, not conventionally literary, but actually everyday, was possible only in a relatively small circle of genres focused on modern content and creating the illusion of the truth of incidents.”

The main part of Y. Lotman's commentary is occupied by the analysis of each chapter. In these analyses, Y. Lotman explains lines from the novel.

In general, this article cannot be called completely criticism, but its elements are present. Y. Lotman's comments help us understand the novel, study it to the smallest detail, and form our opinion on this matter.

3 .2 N.L. Brodsky "Eugene Onegin"

Unlike Yu.M. Lotman's commentary by Brodsky is more complete. In his commentary, Brodsky explains each fragment of the text, and not some individual words.

The bulk of his work is devoted to epigraphs, he begins with a definition: “An epigraph is a single word or saying, in prose or verse, taken from any famous writer, or their own, which the authors place at the beginning of their work and thereby express the general idea of ​​the work or their attitude to the depicted reality.” Next comes the analysis of the epigraphs: “And he is in a hurry to live and in a hurry to feel” - this epigraph is taken from a poem by P.A. Vyazemsky “First Snow” (1819). In the 1825 edition of the first chapter, the epigraph was missing. Pushkin borrowed it from a couplet in which Vyazemsky gave a generalized description of youth and its thirst for life:

This is how young ardor glides through life:

And he’s in a hurry to live and he’s in a hurry to feel!

So, in the light of these verses, it becomes obvious that the epigraph does not refer to an individual portrait of Onegin, but characterizes the mood typical of young people of that time.”

Thus, analysis of epigraphs helps us understand main idea specific chapter, because it is precisely in the epigraph, and the main text is its disclosure.

4 . A.S. Pushkin about “Eugene Heegin" in letters to his friends

A.S. Pushkin mentioned his novel in letters to his friends. From these letters one can trace the stages of work on the novel and Pushkin’s feelings about censorship. I will give a couple of excerpts from the letters.

In letters of 1823, Pushkin speaks about the beginning of work:

Letter to P.A. Vyazemsky November 4, 1823: “As for my studies, I am now writing not a novel, but a novel in verse - a devilish difference! Like Don Juan. There’s nothing to think about printing: I write carelessly.”

Letter to A.A. Delvig November 16, 1823:“I am writing now new poem, in which I’m rambling on and on... God knows when we’ll read it together...”

Letter to A.I. Turgenev December 1, 1823:“In my spare time I’m writing a new poem, Eugene Onegin, in which I’m choking on bile. Two songs are already ready.”

In his letters, Pushkin does not speak specifically about the characters or actions, does not describe the novel itself, but talks about the stages of work. However, in a letter to P.A. On May 27, 1826, the poet wrote to Vyazemsky: “...My deaf Mikhailovskoye makes me sad and furious. In the 4th song of Onegin I depicted my life...” This makes us understand that there are still elements of autobiography in the image of Onegin.

Also, from a letter to A. Bestuzhev on March 24, 1825, you can still feel Pushkin’s attitude towards his work: “Your letter is very smart, but still you are wrong; you are looking at Onegin from the wrong point; after all, he best work my…".

Conclusion

“Eugene Onegin” is a great work of Russian and world literature. We see that this creation worried many people, not only critics, but also writers and poets, because this is only a small part of critical articles.

Each critic analyzed this work in his own way: someone analyzed every chapter, every word (this is called a commentary), and someone simply expressed their opinion about the work (this is criticism). Also, the manner and structure of the articles were different: some paid much attention to the characters, while others focused on vocabulary and syntax. Different attitude to heroes and events.

In general, criticism helps us form our opinion, find out the opinions and attitudes of other people, think and compare and come to a final opinion.

As for me, I really enjoyed working with criticism, because I learned a lot about the novel: the stages of writing, formed my opinion about the characters and events, supplemented it with new information, and it was also interesting to read excerpts from Pushkin’s letters in which he talks about novel.

List of used literature

1. N.Ya. Nightingale “Roman A.S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin".

2. A. Slonimsky “The Mastery of Pushkin.”

3. Yu.M. Lotman “Roman A.S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin"

4. N.L. Brodsky "Eugene Onegin". Roman A.S. Pushkin."

5. V.G. Belinsky "Eugene Onegin".

6. A.S. Pushkin in the memoirs of his contemporaries (a series of literary memoirs).

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1. The history of the creation of the novel.
2. The image of the main character of the work.
3. Psychologism of the novel “White Nights”.

The novel “White Nights” by F. M. Dostoevsky was first published in 1848 in periodical « Domestic notes" The writer dedicated his work to his friend from his youth, the poet A. N. Pleshcheev. Perhaps this man was also the prototype of the main character of the work, since it was at this time that he was thinking about his version of the story about the dreamer. According to many literary scholars, “White Nights” is one of the brightest and poetic works writer. Moreover, Dostoevsky himself wrote that “we are all more or less dreamers.” That is, to some extent, the novel is autobiographical, since Fyodor Mikhailovich, like his character, more than once recalled his “golden and inflamed dreams”: “Before, in my youthful fantasy, I sometimes liked to imagine myself as either Pericles, or Marius, or a Christian from from the time of Nero, now as a knight at a tournament, now as Edward Glyandening from the novel “The Monastery” by Walter Scott... And what I did not dream of in my youth...” The action of the work takes place in the poetic atmosphere of romantic lyrics, and this is also the image of the main characters of a young commoner official and a young girl. Each of them has a pure soul. Everything that happens takes place against the backdrop of St. Petersburg canals during the White Nights.

The novel “White Nights” includes five parts, four of which describe the nights, and the last one describes the morning. The main character of the work, a young man, a dreamer, has lived in St. Petersburg for eight years, but has never been able to find friends. One summer day he went for a walk, and suddenly it seemed to him that the whole city had gone to the dacha. Being a lonely person, the dreamer felt even more isolated from other people. This prompted him to take a walk outside the city. Returning late in the evening, the main character saw a young woman sobbing at the railing of the canal. Of course, he, like a real man, and even a romantic, could not just pass by. He wanted to approach the girl, but she came to her senses and walked quickly along the embankment. Chance helped young man to get acquainted and talk with a stranger, the girl promised to tell her story the next night and asked her new friend not to fall in love with her under any circumstances. The unexpected meeting amazed the main character so much that the next day he arrived at the meeting place two hours earlier. The ardent young man was ready to sacrifice anything to protect Nastenka from harm if she threatened her new acquaintance. Finally, the protagonist's expectations were rewarded.

The young people got to know each other better, and the hero introduced himself as an eccentric dreamer who is both afraid and strives to communicate with others: “A dreamer - if you need a detailed definition of him - is not a person, but, you know, some kind of average creature.” kind. For the most part, he sits down somewhere in an inaccessible corner, as if he is hiding there even from daylight, and if he gets in to himself, he will grow to his corner like a snail...” IN evening time the main character loved to wander around the city and dream. Dreams gave meaning to his existence, and also filled him with joy: “He is now already rich in his special life; somehow he suddenly became rich, and it was not in vain that the farewell ray of the fading sun sparkled so cheerfully in front of him and evoked a whole swarm of impressions from his warmed heart... Now “the goddess of fantasy”... She had already woven her golden base with a whimsical hand and went to develop before him the patterns of an unprecedented bizarre life...” The girl’s story could not help but touch the dreamer’s soul, especially since she experienced serious feelings, and the whole story was shrouded in an aura of romance. The young man began to calm Nastenka down and even agreed to give the letter to the people who would deliver it to the addressee. The new friends' next date was scheduled for the next night. During the third meeting, it seemed to the ardent young man for a moment that the girl loved him, she cared so tenderly for him, but the noble heart could not suspect Nastenka of showing feelings. The dreamer quickly pulled himself together, realizing that “her care, her love... was nothing more than the joy of meeting someone else soon.”

The wait lasted for several hours. At first Nastenka was cheerful and even playful, but soon she became sad. No matter how much the dreamer reassured the girl, she became sadder and sadder. The main character so sincerely reassured his new girlfriend, that the thought came into her head: “I compared you both.” Why is he not you? Why is he not like you? He is worse than you, although I love him more than you.” The young people parted without waiting for Nastenka’s chosen one.

The girl’s words excited the dreamer so much that he could hardly wait until morning to find her house. He sincerely fell in love with the girl: “I was about to go into their alley, but I felt ashamed. And I returned without looking at their windows. Not two steps away from their house. I came home in such melancholy as I had never been in.” He suffered because there was nothing he could do about it. The fourth date was scheduled for nine o'clock in the evening, but when the dreamer arrived, the girl was already there. She hoped that a new acquaintance would bring her a letter from her lover, but when her expectations were not confirmed, the girl burst into tears. For Nastenka’s sake, the young man was ready to go to her chosen one and demand an answer from him, but the girl stopped him. Soon the dreamer could not help but confess his love to her. The unfortunate girl only asked if her new acquaintance could wait until her heart was freed from old love. Of course, the dreamer was ready to wait as long as necessary. Young people immediately began to walk along the embankment and make plans for the future. They decided that the dreamer would immediately move into the girl’s house, where her grandmother was renting out the vacant mezzanine. Nastenka's mood was constantly changing; she could not forget her humiliation and rejected love. The young man tried his best to distract her.

Suddenly they met a man who looked intently at the girl and called her by name. Nastenka recognized her lover in him and rushed to him. The Dreamer did not dare to stop her. In the morning he received a letter in which the girl thanked him for his support and told him that she was marrying her chosen one. The dreamer suddenly saw his future, when he, fifteen years older, was still in the same room with the same faded walls and floors.

In his heartfelt novel, Fyodor Mikhailovich tried to comprehend the theme of St. Petersburg from a philosophical and historical point of view. He fully managed to reveal the image of a lonely intelligent person feeling like a stranger even in a big city. In search of a way out of the current situation, “the main character plunged into himself, he escaped reality with the help of daydreaming.

In his work, Dostoevsky repeatedly addresses this topic. The reason for such dreaminess is revealed in the writer's subsequent works. The author viewed it as a consequence of “a break with the people of the vast majority of the educated class.” He is conducting the most serious psychological analysis human relations. Dostoevsky's dreamers longed for living life, they painfully sought a point of contact with it. Many literary scholars were confident that artistically“White Nights” is much more perfect than the previous works of Fyodor Mikhailovich.

Fedor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky

"White Nights"

A young man of twenty-six years old is a petty official who has been living for eight years in St. Petersburg in the 1840s, in one of the apartment buildings along the Catherine Canal, in a room with cobwebs and smoky walls. After his service favorite hobby- walks around the city. He notices passers-by and houses, some of them become his “friends”. However, he has almost no acquaintances among people. He is poor and lonely. With sadness, he watches as the residents of St. Petersburg gather for their dacha. He has nowhere to go. Going out of town, he enjoys the northern spring nature, who looks like a “sick and sick” girl, who for one moment becomes “wonderfully beautiful.”

Returning home at ten in the evening, the hero sees a female figure at the canal grate and hears sobbing. Sympathy prompts him to make an acquaintance, but the girl timidly runs away. A drunk man tries to pester her, and only a “bough stick”, which ends up in the hero’s hand, saves the pretty stranger. They talk to each other. The young man admits that before he knew only “housewives,” but he never spoke to “women” and therefore is very timid. This calms down the fellow traveler. She listens to the story about the “novels” that the guide created in his dreams, about falling in love with ideal fictional images, about the hope of someday meeting in reality with worthy of love girl. But now she’s almost home and wants to say goodbye. The dreamer begs for new meeting. The girl “needs to be here for herself,” and she does not mind the presence of a new acquaintance tomorrow at the same hour in the same place. Her condition is “friendship”, “but you can’t fall in love.” Like the Dreamer, she needs someone to trust, someone to ask for advice.

On their second meeting, they decide to listen to each other's "stories". The hero begins. It turns out that he is a “type”: in the “strange corners of St. Petersburg” live “neuter creatures” similar to him - “dreamers” - whose “life is a mixture of something purely fantastic, ardently ideal and at the same time dull prosaic and ordinary " They are afraid of the company of living people, as they spend long hours among “magical ghosts”, in “ecstatic dreams”, in imaginary “adventures”. “You speak as if you are reading a book,” Nastenka guesses the source of the plots and images of her interlocutor: the works of Hoffmann, Merimee, W. Scott, Pushkin. After intoxicating, “voluptuous” dreams, it can be painful to wake up in “loneliness”, in your “musty, unnecessary life.” The girl feels sorry for her friend, and he himself understands that “such a life is a crime and a sin.” After the “fantastic nights” he already “has moments of sobering up that are terrible.” "Dreams survive", the soul wants " real life" Nastenka promises the Dreamer that now they will be together. And here is her confession. She is an orphan. Lives with an old blind grandmother in a small house of her own. Until the age of fifteen I studied with a teacher, and two last year sits, “pinned” with a pin to the dress of her grandmother, who otherwise cannot keep track of her. A year ago they had a tenant, a young man of “pleasant appearance.” He gave his young mistress books by V. Scott, Pushkin and other authors. He invited them and their grandmother to the theater. The opera “The Barber of Seville” was especially memorable. When he announced that he was leaving, the poor recluse decided on a desperate act: she gathered her things in a bundle, came to the tenant’s room, sat down and “cryed in three streams.” Fortunately, he understood everything, and most importantly, he managed to fall in love with Nastenka. But he was poor and without a “decent place”, and therefore could not get married right away. They agreed that exactly a year later, having returned from Moscow, where he hoped to “arrange his affairs,” the young man would wait for his bride on a bench near the canal at ten o’clock in the evening. A year has passed. He has been in St. Petersburg for three days already. He is not at the appointed place... Now the hero understands the reason for the girl’s tears on the evening of their acquaintance. Trying to help, he volunteers to deliver her letter to the groom, which he does the next day.

Because of the rain, the third meeting of the heroes occurs only through the night. Nastenka is afraid that the groom will not come again, and cannot hide her excitement from her friend. She dreams feverishly about the future. The hero is sad because he himself loves the girl. And yet, the Dreamer has enough selflessness to console and reassure the despondent Nastenka. Touched, the girl compares the groom with a new friend: “Why is he not you?.. He is worse than you, even though I love him more than you.” And he continues to dream: “Why aren’t we all like brothers and brothers? Why the most best person always seems to be hiding something from the other and is silent from him? Everyone looks like that, as if he is harsher than he really is...” Gratefully accepting the Dreamer’s sacrifice, Nastenka also shows concern for him: “you are getting better,” “you will fall in love...” “God grant you happiness with her!” In addition, now her friendship is with the hero forever.

And finally the fourth night. The girl finally felt abandoned “inhumanly” and “cruelly.” The dreamer again offers help: go to the offender and force him to “respect” Nastenka’s feelings. However, pride awakens in her: she no longer loves the deceiver and will try to forget him. The “barbaric” act of the tenant sets off the moral beauty of the friend sitting next to him: “You wouldn’t do that? Wouldn’t you throw someone who would come to you on her own into the eyes of shameless mockery of her weak, stupid heart?” The dreamer no longer has the right to hide the truth that the girl has already guessed: “I love you, Nastenka!” He doesn’t want to “torment” her with his “selfishness” in a bitter moment, but what if his love turns out to be necessary? And indeed, the answer is: “I don’t love him, because I can only love what is generous, what understands me, what is noble...” If the Dreamer waits until the previous feelings completely subside, then the girl’s gratitude and love will go to him alone . Young people joyfully dream of a future together. At the moment of their farewell, the groom suddenly appears. Screaming and trembling, Nastenka breaks free from the hero’s hands and rushes towards him. Already, it would seem, the hope for happiness, for genuine life, that is coming true leaves the Dreamer. He silently looks after the lovers.

The next morning, the hero receives a letter from the happy girl asking for forgiveness for the involuntary deception and with gratitude for his love, which “cured” her “broken heart.” One of these days she is getting married. But her feelings are contradictory: “Oh God! If only I could love you both at once!” And yet the Dreamer must remain “eternally a friend, brother...”. Again he is alone in a suddenly “old” room. But even fifteen years later, he fondly remembers his short-lived love: “may you be blessed for the minute of bliss and happiness that you gave to another, lonely, grateful heart! A whole minute of bliss! Is this really not enough for even a person’s entire life?..”

The Dreamer, a petty official of twenty-six years old, has been living in St. Petersburg for 8 years. He loves to walk around the city, notice houses and passers-by, and follow life big city. He has no acquaintances among people. The Dreamer is poor and lonely. One evening he returns home and notices a sobbing girl. Sympathy prompts him to meet the girl. The Dreamer convinces her that he has never communicated with women before and that is why he is so timid. He accompanies the stranger to her house and asks for a new meeting, she agrees to meet him at the same time, in the same place.

On the second evening, young people share their life stories with each other. The dreamer says that he lives in a colorful but fictional world of the works of Hoffman and Pushkin, and sometimes it is very difficult for him to realize that in reality he is lonely and unhappy. The girl, Nastenka, tells him that she has been living for a long time with her blind grandmother, who does not let her leave her for a long time. Once a guest settled in Nastya’s house, he read books to her, communicated well with her, and the girl fell in love. When it was time for him to move out, she told the guest about her feelings. He reciprocated, however, having neither savings nor housing, he promised to return for Nastenka in a year, when he had settled his affairs. And now a year has passed, Nastya knows that he has returned to St. Petersburg, but he never comes to meet her. The dreamer tries to calm the girl down; he invites her to take the letter to her fiancé, which he does the next day.

On the third evening, Nastya and the Dreamer meet again, the girl is afraid that her lover will never return. The dreamer is sad, because he has already loved Nastenka with all his heart, but she perceives him only as a friend. The girl laments that she new friend better than the groom, but she doesn’t love him.

On the fourth night, Nastya feels completely forgotten by her fiancé. The dreamer tries to calm her down and suggests making the groom respect the girl’s feelings. But she is adamant, the pride that has awakened in her does not allow her to love the deceiver anymore. Nastenka sees the moral beauty of her new friend. The dreamer is no longer able to hide his feelings, he confesses his love to the girl, Nastya wants to forget herself in his arms. Young people dream of a new, bright future. But at the moment of parting, Nastya’s fiancé appears, the girl breaks away from the Dreamer’s embrace and runs towards her lover. Unhappy young man, look after the lovers.

Dostoevsky's story "White Nights" tells the story of two young people suffering from unrequited love. The main characters of “White Nights” are the dreamer and Nastenka, who met during the White Nights of St. Petersburg and began to meet in a friendly manner. The dreamer fell in love with a girl, and Nastenka tells him about her love for another person. The dreamer silently loves the girl, dreaming of her love. The writer's work is written in the genre of sentimentalism and naturalism; in White Nights the heroes are social, they belong to a cohort of little people who depend on reasons and circumstances.

Characteristics of the heroes of “White Nights”

Main characters

Minor characters

This list provides a brief description of the characters and characteristics of the heroes from F. M. Dostoevsky’s story “White Nights,” which can be used to write an essay in literature classes.

Work test

Recognizing that very often we think in clichés is unpleasant, but necessary. For example, what can we say about the work of F.M. Dostoevsky? School program, within the framework of which, most likely, only “Crime and Punishment” was read, develops a reflex: Dostoevsky’s surname evokes memorized phrases in the mind, for example, “internal conflict of the hero”, “mental tossing”, “realism”, “hostile the world", "small man". Take Raskolnikov - here is a wonderful example of mental tossing and internal conflict. And how Dostoevsky describes St. Petersburg? “It smelled of lime, dust, stagnant water,” “huge, crowding and pressing houses..." - here is the hostile surrounding reality; It’s no wonder you become a murderer in a city like this, right? So you can continue to find confirmation that all these memorized phrases are true; in other most famous works of Dostoevsky - “The Brothers Karamazov”, “The Idiot”, “The Gambler”, “The Teenager” - the same difficult insoluble internal conflicts, a hostile surrounding reality. The triumph of realism in Dostoevsky’s work, in a word.

Is it possible, after such a serious set of terms, to suspect that Dostoevsky wrote something sentimental, even a little childishly naive? Hardly. But that’s what a genius is, to be able to write in completely different directions.

So, 1848 is the date the novel “White Nights” was written. More precisely, a sentimental novel, as the author himself defined the genre. It’s worth making a reservation: it is generally accepted that “White Nights” is a story, but we will follow the author’s lead and in some cases we will call it a sentimental novel. Even the subtitle sounds like this: “From the Memoirs of a Dreamer” - another indication of sentimentalism. The specificity of this direction is that the focus is on internal soul feelings characters, their feelings and emotions. Let's figure out what could be sentimental in this novel by Dostoevsky?

Summary: what is “White Nights” about?

The plot centers on the relationship between two people - the narrator and Nastenka. They cross paths quite by chance during a night walk in St. Petersburg and, as it turns out, they are kindred spirits - dreamers. They open up to each other, and the girl shares with him a story about her lover, who went to Moscow for a year, and now should return for her, but still does not come. The narrator volunteers to help her, delivers the letter, and waits with her for the arrival of her lover, who ultimately arrives. Everything is going as well as possible, but... This is where sentimentalism begins. The hero is in love with Nastenka and, as you might guess, unrequitedly. Therefore, a large share of the narrative is occupied by the description of his feelings, thoughts and emotions in climax— the moment of waiting for the heroine’s lover.

Why did Dostoevsky call the novel sentimental?

The manner of describing these feelings evokes a clear association with another sentimental work - “Suffering young Werther» Goethe. However, “White Nights” by Dostoevsky and “Werther” by Goethe, even in the basis of the plot, have much in common - love triangle, where the main character is rejected.

It is worth noting that in “White Nights” the writer does not make the hero’s experiences dramatic - in Werther Goethe, internal emotions are much more complex and impulsive, they lead to a tragic ending - suicide. In the novel, F.M. Dostoevsky's mental anguish does not lead to a tragic end; on the contrary, the narrator, even having suffered a love failure, is grateful to fate at least for the short happiness that befell him. It turns out that the hero of this sentimental novel is in some harmony with himself. Is Dostoevsky's hero in harmony with himself? It's unusual, but it's true.

The image of St. Petersburg in the story “White Nights”

However, the genre of sentimentalism in this novel is predetermined not only by the plot, but also by the nature of the characters and the manner of narration. The narrator becomes the embodiment of sentimentalism - this is noticeable from the first lines of the work, when the routine life of the hero, his relationships with other people and St. Petersburg are described. What is characteristic is that he perceives his city as Living being, all people as if they were your acquaintances. The hero’s mood changes his perception native land- another one characteristic sentimentalism. True, usually the authors sentimental works connect the inner experiences of characters with images of nature - an example of this is the already mentioned Werther. Here the role of landscape is played by St. Petersburg.

The very description of St. Petersburg is also not at all characteristic of Dostoevsky; the Petersburg of White Nights is not at all the same as in his other works. Usually St. Petersburg is the embodiment of vices, the same hostile surrounding reality that the heroes are forced to confront. Here the city acts as the narrator’s friend, his interlocutor; the narrator loves him, enjoys his spring. Petersburg responds to the narrator's inner experiences, but does not become hostile. In this work of Dostoevsky, the problem of the external world is completely absent, which is not usual. We don't know anything about social status heroes, they themselves do not see the reason for their failures as something in the outside world. The focus is only on the inner world.

Language features in the work

It is also impossible not to pay attention to the manner of speech of the heroes - both internal monologues and dialogues - which is not at all characteristic of the heroes of the realist Dostoevsky. It is full of various metaphors and is characterized by high style. The sentences are long and detailed. There are a lot of statements with a pronounced emotional overtones.

It is thanks to this nature of speech that the image of the heroes becomes clear to us. They both feel sensitively and are careful about the feelings of others. Emotional, very often excited. From their dialogues it becomes clear that they are able to pay attention to insignificant details, which become very significant to them. Their conversations contain a lot of loud phrases and promises. The heroes are quite radical in matters relating to feelings , They throw around words like “forever”, “love”, “happiness”. Their thoughts about the future, love and friendship sound childishly naive. But that’s why they are both dreamers.

The image of Nastenka in the novel “White Nights”

So what are they, these sentimental heroes, atypical for Dostoevsky? We see Nastenka, of course, only through the eyes of the narrator. The narrator is in love with a girl, so in many ways he may idealize her image. However, she, like him, is isolated from the outside world, although not by her own free will, but by the whim of her grandmother. Such isolation, however, made the heroine a dreamer. For example, sometimes in her dreams she even went as far as marrying a Chinese prince. The girl is sensitive to the experiences of others and when she learns about the narrator’s feelings for her, she worries that she could have hurt his feelings with some careless phrase. Nastenka dives headlong into feeling, her love is pure, unshakable, like that of any dreamer. Therefore, when she is visited by doubts whether her lover will come to her, she so childishly, so helplessly tries to give up these feelings, replace love with hatred, build happiness with another, that is, with the narrator. Such convinced, naive love is also characteristic of sentimentalism; in realism everything can be complex and confusing, such as the relationship between Prince Myshkin and Nastasya Filippovna, but in sentimentalism everything is simple - either you love it or you don’t.

The image of the main character (narrator) in the novel “White Nights”

Type of St. Petersburg dreamer - variety extra person, unadapted to reality and not needed by the world. He has a lot in common with his Nastenka. True, the narrator is perhaps an even greater dreamer than she. His detachment from the world is not forced, like the heroine’s, but “voluntary.” No one forced him to such a reclusive lifestyle. He reacts sensitively to his beloved’s emotions and is afraid of hurting or offending her. At the moment when he realizes that his love is unrequited, he does not feel negative feelings towards her at all, and also continues to love her tenderly. There is no internal conflict in his soul whether to love Nastenka or not.

At the same time, one cannot help but notice that the narrator has absolutely no connection with the outside world. He even makes St. Petersburg seem a little fictitious. The heroine, on the contrary, seems to be striving to break out of this alienation. In many ways, her fiancé becomes her connection to the outside world.

Themes in the novel "White Nights"

One of the central themes is, of course, love. But, what is typical for sentimentalism, this is a story of unrequited and, at the same time, sublime love. The heroes themselves attach unprecedented importance to this feeling.

But, despite the fact that the plot revolves around a love story, other topics are raised here besides love. Dreamers, as Nastenka and the narrator call themselves, are different from those around them. This is how the theme of loneliness appears in the novel. The characters suffer from their isolation from other people. That's why, perhaps, they got along with each other so easily. Nastya says that she had a friend, however, she also left for Pskov. What is life like for a young girl in the company of only her grandmother? Therefore, her fiancé is a saving thread from this world of loneliness. The narrator is even more lonely than Nastenka. At the same time, he does not dare to try to avoid this loneliness, even his acquaintance with the heroine is just Lucky case. The young man is so lonely that he imagines every passerby to be his acquaintance, or, what is even more absurd, he talks to houses. When the girl asks him to “tell his story,” he admits to her that a dreamer like him doesn’t seem to live, his life is not filled with anything.

The idea of ​​Dostoevsky's "White Nights"

This is probably also why he becomes so attached to Nastenka. She is his only interlocutor, his salvation from this loneliness that is familiar to him. Communication with her, her attachment to him, becomes the only thing in this world that matters for the hero. When he realizes that it is not he who will get Nastenka’s love, he withdraws into himself; the city and everything that surrounds it seem to become duller and older in his eyes. He himself grows dim and old. If this had been a character familiar to Dostoevsky, perhaps disappointment would have been followed by hatred of Nastenka. But he also continues to love her, purely and reverently, wishing her only the best. Or the hero could become disillusioned with life, like Svidrigailov, for example, and commit suicide. But this does not happen either - the hero says that for the sake of this short-lived happiness it was worth living. “A whole minute of bliss! But is this not enough even for a human life?..” This phrase contains idea of ​​the work. The idea of ​​happiness: what does it consist of and how much happiness can one person require in his entire life? Due to the fact that Dostoevsky’s hero is sentimental, he is grateful to fate for these few nights. These are probably the memories he will live with for the rest of his life. later life and will be happy that he managed to survive it. This will be enough for him.

What is the difference between White Nights and other works by Dostoevsky?

This sentimental novel Dostoevsky, due to its genre, is radically different from his others, more famous works. A completely different, non-hostile St. Petersburg. Completely different heroes - sensitive, simple, loving, dreamy. A completely different language - metaphorical, sublime. A completely different range of problems and ideas: not thinking about problems little man, for example, or about the use of any philosophical ideas, but about the loneliness of dreamers, the transience and value of human happiness. This sentimental novel reveals to us a completely different Dostoevsky; Dostoevsky is not gloomy, but light and simple. But in some ways this great Russian author remains true to himself: even despite the external lightness and simplicity of the work, the writer touches on important philosophical issues. Questions about love and happiness.

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