Did Bazarov manage to reveal the inaccessible topic of love? Did Evgeny Bazarov pass the test of love? Does Bazarov stand the “test of love”?

In “Fathers and Sons,” Turgenev applied the method of revealing the character of the main character, already worked out in previous stories (“Faust” 1856, “Asya” 1857) and novels. First, the author depicts the ideological beliefs and complex spiritual and mental life of the hero, for which he includes conversations or disputes in the work ideological opponents, then creates a love situation, and the hero undergoes a “test of love,” which N.G. Chernyshevsky called “a Russian man on a rendez-vous.” That is, Turgenev places the hero, who has already demonstrated the significance of his character and ideas, in life circumstances that require character and the application of ideas in practice - to overcome specific life obstacles. At the same time, in none of Turgenev’s works are the circumstances of the “test of love” repeated.

So, Dmitry Rudin in novel of the same name(1855) fell in love with a wonderful girl, Natalya Lasunskaya. She is the first to confess her love, and then Rudin, who is in love himself, retreats. He's not sure he can arrange it decent life for Natalya, he is afraid to take responsibility for her fate, so he advises her to submit to the will of her aristocratic mother, who will never agree to the marriage of her daughter and the beggar philosopher Rudin. “Submit! So this is how you apply in practice your interpretations about freedom, about sacrifices...” (IX), Natalya sums up Rudin’s lofty calls. Scene last explanation near an abandoned pond proves the failure in life of Rudin, an excellent speaker and an insecure person, helpless in real circumstances.

Fyodor Lavretsky in the novel “ Noble Nest"(1858) is depicted as a mature man who has seen a lot (Russia and France, capitals and provinces), changed his mind a lot (ideas of Westerners and Slavophiles, relations between the nobility and the people), experienced a lot (love for his wife and her betrayal). Lavretsky meets Lisa Kalitina, who is distinguished by her extraordinary spiritual and moral sensitivity. At first he falls hopelessly in love with Lisa, and after the news of his wife’s death he begins to dream of personal happiness. But the sudden arrival of his wife (the news of her death turned out to be false) shatters all his hopes. The hero does not try to do anything in the current situation, he immediately comes to terms with his tragic fate, as evidenced by the last farewell date of the main characters (ХLII). Lisa goes to a monastery, and Lavretsky remains a lonely, restless person.

The main character of the novel “On the Eve” (1859) is a poor student at Moscow University, a Bulgarian by nationality, Dmitry Insarov, a man with a strong character, purposeful, inspired by the great idea of ​​​​the fight for the freedom of his homeland. This hero opposes “rodents, Hamletics, Samoyeds” - Russian noble intellectuals, heroes of Turgenev’s first novels. A young noblewoman, Elena Stakhova, falls in love with Insarov, conquered heroic personality Bulgarian, his passionate love and at the same time proud modesty, self-confidence (which Lavretsky did not have), and lack of posturing (which Rudin was guilty of). In the scene of the declaration of love, Insarov declares that he cannot give up the main goal of his life - the fight for the liberation of Bulgaria from the Turkish yoke, but Elena, approving of this high and noble goal, is ready to share with him all the difficulties of the dangerous heroic struggle (XVIII). This is how Insarov and Elena find happiness without opposing their love to another important goal - the fight for the freedom of Bulgaria.

So, the main characters of the reviewed novels by Turgenev, except for the Bulgarian patriot Insarov, did not pass the “test of love”. What can be said about Bazarov in this regard?

Before meeting Odintsova, Bazarov had little understanding of what love was. Having heard from Arkady the story of Pavel Petrovich and Princess R., the young nihilist sarcastically asks: “And what is this mysterious relationship between a man and a woman? We physiologists know what this relationship is. (...) This is all romanticism, nonsense, rot, art” (VII). In other words, in love he assumes pure physiology, and denies spiritual closeness, the heartfelt attraction of lovers to each other. So far he is only attracted to women outer beauty. Having met Fenechka in the garden, he immediately asks Arkady: “Who is this? How pretty!” (IX); Having heard from Sitnikov about Kukshina’s emancipation, he clarifies: “Is she pretty?” (XII); Having noticed the beautiful Odintsova at the ball, he sums up his impression: “Whoever she is - just a provincial lioness, or an “emancipe” like Kukshina, only she has such shoulders as I have not seen for a long time” (XIV).

But now, having lived for two weeks at Odintsova’s estate, he feels that he has fallen seriously in love, and now he appreciates not only beautiful shoulders, but also a strong character, tactful behavior, intelligence, care for younger sister Katya, that is, the spiritual qualities of Anna Sergeevna. He, contrary to his theoretical convictions, succumbed to that same romantic feeling of love, which he “called rubbish, unforgivable foolishness” (XVII). It is not easy for the proud, self-confident Bazarov to abandon his previous views on love, but the young nihilist did not long carry around his resentment towards life, which refuted his beliefs about love. “Ideal” (that is, spiritual) love exists, and Bazarov, without wasting much time on romantic hesitations and fruitless yearnings (as the loving heroes of Turgenev’s previous works did), declares his love to Odintsova. Thus, thanks to his determination, Bazarov adequately passed the first, but not the main, “test of love.”

He accomplishes everything he sets out to do. It seems that it is no coincidence that Arkady listens to the following reasoning from Bazarov: “... in my opinion, it is better to break stones on the pavement than to allow a woman to take possession of even the tip of a finger. (...) A man has no time to deal with such trifles” (XIX). After staying with Arkady for three days with his parents, Bazarov returns to Maryino, where he left “all his drugs” (XXI) and where he can continue his real work - research experiments - without interference. There, the young nihilist is trying to “get some sense” (XVII) from Fenechka, who was affectionate with him and seemed to him simple and undemanding in love affairs. However, here too he was mistaken: the kiss in the gazebo offended Fenechka: “It’s a sin for you, Evgeny Vasilyevich,” she whispered as she left. Genuine reproach was heard in her whisper. Bazarov remembered another recent scene, and he felt ashamed and contemptuously annoyed” (XXIII).

To defeat his unhappy love, the hero needs not only personal determination, but also time, which, as we know, heals everything. But Turgenev doesn’t give to the young nihilist time: about a month after the explanation with Odintsova, Bazarov becomes infected with cadaveric poison and, after being ill for a week, dies. Only by understanding the circumstances of the hero’s illness can one decide whether Bazarov passed the “test of love” or not. If, during the autopsy of a typhoid corpse, the hero accidentally cut himself, then it is logical to assume that he could overcome his love for Anna Sergeevna in his soul, not “sour” for the rest of his life, like Pavel Petrovich, but take up a more important matter for which he was preparing himself. Since he had mental strength resist a fatal disease, so that he would be able to overcome unhappy love over time.

But there are strange details in the circumstances of Bazarov’s infection. The hero cut himself, although he constantly dissected frogs and, therefore, maintained his surgical skills. In addition, when the district doctor did not have a hellish stone, for some reason Bazarov did not use another life-saving remedy - he did not cauterize the cut with an iron. A suspicion arises that the hero deliberately became infected and chose to die so as not to be tormented by mental anguish due to unrequited love. Therefore, he did not pass the “test of love.”

So, in “Fathers and Sons” Turgenev used his favorite plot device - revealing the character of the hero (his moral and business qualities) through a love story. For literary heroes 30-40s of the 19th century - “ extra people“(Rudin and Lavretsky belong to this type of heroes) - “the science of tender passion” (A.S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”, 1, VIII) was the main, if not the only, interest in life. For the heroes of the 60s - “new people” - in addition to love, and sometimes besides it, there are other tempting goals in life: social and entrepreneurial activity, the science, artistic creativity etc. Despite these differences between previous and modern heroes, Turgenev bows Bazarov, a convinced democrat, to “omnipotent love.” The writer even shows how a romantic feeling for the beautiful aristocrat Odintsova shook not only the hero’s views on love, but also his social and philosophical beliefs.

Bazarov has already doubted whether he should waste his energy on the peasants Philip or Sidor, who will someday live in white huts, and will not even remember Bazarov (XXI). He begins to think about death (“Every person hangs by a thread, an abyss can open up under him every minute...” - XIX), about the insignificance of man (“... the part of time that I manage to live is so insignificant before eternity, where I was not and will be..." - ibid).

With all this, Turgenev understood the difference between “superfluous” and “new people”, therefore Bazarov, unlike Rudin and Lavretsky, is trying to adequately withstand the “test of love”, to defeat his romantic feelings, since they are unrequited. True, he tries unsuccessfully, perhaps because the writer gave the hero too little time. Thus, Bazarov, in comparison with Turgenev’s previous heroes, is presented as a more courageous, strong-willed person, but the newer one is equally tragically doomed, as is Insarov, although the latter certainly passed his “test of love.” This is how it manifested itself complicated attitude The author’s attitude towards the nihilist Bazarov is respect for his personal qualities and rejection of his social program.

Sine ira et studio P.C. Tacitus
(Without anger and partiality P.K. Tacitus)

In “Fathers and Sons,” Turgenev applied the method of revealing the character of the main character, already worked out in previous stories (“Faust” 1856, “Asya” 1857) and novels. First, the author depicts the ideological beliefs and complex spiritual and mental life of the hero, for which he includes conversations or disputes between ideological opponents in the work, then he creates a love situation, and the hero undergoes a “test of love,” which N.G. Chernyshevsky called “a Russian man on a rendez- vous." That is, Turgenev places the hero, who has already demonstrated the significance of his character and ideas, in life circumstances that require character and the application of ideas in practice - to overcome specific life obstacles. At the same time, in none of Turgenev’s works are the circumstances of the “test of love” repeated.

Thus, in the novel of the same name (1855), Dmitry Rudin fell in love with a wonderful girl, Natalya Lasunskaya. She is the first to confess her love, and then Rudin, who is in love himself, retreats. He is not sure that he can arrange a decent life for Natalya, he is afraid to take responsibility for her fate, so he advises her to submit to the will of her aristocratic mother, who will never agree to the marriage of her daughter and the poor philosopher Rudin. “Submit! So this is how you apply in practice your interpretations about freedom, about sacrifices...” (IX), Natalya sums up Rudin’s lofty calls. The scene of the last explanation at the abandoned pond proves the failure in life of Rudin, an excellent speaker and an insecure person, helpless in real circumstances.

Fyodor Lavretsky in the novel “The Noble Nest” (1858) is depicted as a mature man who has seen a lot (Russia and France, capitals and provinces), changed his mind a lot (ideas of Westerners and Slavophiles, relations between the nobility and the people), experienced a lot (love for his wife and her betrayal ). Lavretsky meets Lisa Kalitina, who is distinguished by her extraordinary spiritual and moral sensitivity. At first he falls hopelessly in love with Lisa, and after the news of his wife’s death he begins to dream of personal happiness. But the sudden arrival of his wife (the news of her death turned out to be false) shatters all his hopes. The hero does not try to do anything in the current situation, he immediately resigns himself to his tragic fate, as evidenced by the last farewell meeting of the main characters (ХLII). Lisa goes to a monastery, and Lavretsky remains a lonely, restless person.

The main character of the novel “On the Eve” (1859) is a poor student at Moscow University, a Bulgarian by nationality, Dmitry Insarov, a man with a strong character, purposeful, inspired by the great idea of ​​​​the fight for the freedom of his homeland. This hero opposes “rodents, Hamletics, Samoyeds” - Russian noble intellectuals, heroes of Turgenev’s first novels. A young noblewoman, Elena Stakhova, falls in love with Insarov, captivated by the heroic personality of the Bulgarian, his passionate love and at the same time proud modesty, self-confidence (which was not the case in Lavretsky), and lack of posturing (which Rudin was guilty of). In the scene of the declaration of love, Insarov declares that he cannot give up the main goal of his life - the fight for the liberation of Bulgaria from the Turkish yoke, but Elena, approving of this high and noble goal, is ready to share with him all the difficulties of the dangerous heroic struggle (XVIII). This is how Insarov and Elena find happiness without opposing their love to another important goal - the fight for the freedom of Bulgaria.

So, the main characters of the reviewed novels by Turgenev, except for the Bulgarian patriot Insarov, did not pass the “test of love”. What can be said about Bazarov in this regard?

Before meeting Odintsova, Bazarov had little understanding of what love was. Having heard from Arkady the story of Pavel Petrovich and Princess R., the young nihilist sarcastically asks: “And what is this mysterious relationship between a man and a woman? We physiologists know what this relationship is. (...) This is all romanticism, nonsense, rot, art” (VII). In other words, in love he assumes pure physiology, and denies spiritual closeness, the heartfelt attraction of lovers to each other. While in women he is attracted only by external beauty. Having met Fenechka in the garden, he immediately asks Arkady: “Who is this? How pretty!” (IX); Having heard from Sitnikov about Kukshina’s emancipation, he clarifies: “Is she pretty?” (XII); Having noticed the beautiful Odintsova at the ball, he sums up his impression: “Whoever she is—whether just a provincial lioness, or an “emancipe” like Kukshina, only she has such shoulders as I have not seen for a long time” (XIV).

But now, after living for two weeks at Odintsova’s estate, he feels that he has fallen seriously in love, and now he appreciates not only the beautiful shoulders, but also the strong character, tactful behavior, intelligence, care for his younger sister Katya, that is, the spiritual qualities of Anna Sergeevna . He, contrary to his theoretical convictions, succumbed to that same romantic feeling of love, which he “called rubbish, unforgivable foolishness” (XVII). It is not easy for the proud, self-confident Bazarov to abandon his previous views on love, but the young nihilist did not long carry around his resentment towards life, which refuted his beliefs about love. “Ideal” (that is, spiritual) love exists, and Bazarov, without wasting much time on romantic hesitations and fruitless yearnings (as the loving heroes of Turgenev’s previous works did), declares his love to Odintsova. Thus, thanks to his determination, Bazarov adequately passed the first, but not the main, “test of love.”

He accomplishes everything he sets out to do. It seems that it is no coincidence that Arkady listens to the following reasoning from Bazarov: “...in my opinion, it is better to break stones on the pavement than to allow a woman to take possession of even the tip of a finger. (...) A man has no time to deal with such trifles” (XIX). After staying with Arkady for three days with his parents, Bazarov returns to Maryino, where he left “all his drugs” (XXI) and where he can continue his real work - research experiments - without interference. There, the young nihilist is trying to “get some sense” (XVII) from Fenechka, who was affectionate with him and seemed to him simple and undemanding in amorous matters. However, here too he was mistaken: the kiss in the gazebo offended Fenechka: “It’s a sin for you, Evgeny Vasilyevich,” she whispered as she left. Genuine reproach was heard in her whisper. Bazarov remembered another recent scene, and he felt ashamed and contemptuously annoyed” (XXIII).

To defeat his unhappy love, the hero needs not only personal determination, but also time, which, as we know, heals everything. But Turgenev does not give the young nihilist time: about a month after the explanation with Odintsova, Bazarov becomes infected with cadaveric poison and, after being ill for a week, dies. Only by understanding the circumstances of the hero’s illness can one decide whether Bazarov passed the “test of love” or not. If, during the autopsy of a typhoid corpse, the hero accidentally cut himself, then it is logical to assume that he could overcome his love for Anna Sergeevna in his soul, not “sour” for the rest of his life, like Pavel Petrovich, but take up a more important matter for which he was preparing himself. Since he had the mental strength to resist a fatal illness, he would be able to overcome unhappy love over time.

But there are strange details in the circumstances of Bazarov’s infection. The hero cut himself, although he constantly dissected frogs and, therefore, maintained his surgical skills. In addition, when the district doctor did not have a hellish stone, for some reason Bazarov did not use another life-saving remedy - he did not cauterize the cut with an iron. A suspicion arises that the hero deliberately became infected and chose to die so as not to be tormented by mental anguish due to unrequited love. Therefore, he did not pass the “test of love.”

So, in “Fathers and Sons” Turgenev used his favorite plot device - revealing the character of the hero (his moral and business qualities) through a love story. For literary heroes of the 30-40s of the 19th century - “superfluous people” (Rudin and Lavretsky belong to this type of heroes) - “the science of tender passion” (A.S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”, 1, VIII) was the main , if not the only, interest in life. For the heroes of the 60s - the “new people” - in addition to love, and sometimes besides it, there were other tempting goals in life: social and entrepreneurial activities, science, artistic creativity, etc. Contrary to these differences between former and modern heroes, Turgenev bows down Bazarov, a staunch democrat, to “omnipotent love.” The writer even shows how a romantic feeling for the beautiful aristocrat Odintsova shook not only the hero’s views on love, but also his social and philosophical beliefs.

Bazarov has already doubted whether he should waste his energy on the peasants Philip or Sidor, who will someday live in white huts, and will not even remember Bazarov (XXI). He begins to think about death (“Every person hangs by a thread, an abyss can open up beneath him every minute...” - XIX), about the insignificance of man (“... the part of the time that I manage to live is so insignificant before eternity, where I was not and will not be..." - ibid.).

With all this, Turgenev understood the difference between “superfluous” and “new people”, therefore Bazarov, unlike Rudin and Lavretsky, is trying to adequately withstand the “test of love”, to defeat his romantic feelings, since they are unrequited. True, he tries unsuccessfully, perhaps because the writer gave the hero too little time. Thus, Bazarov, in comparison with Turgenev’s previous heroes, is presented as a more courageous, strong-willed person, but the newer one is equally tragically doomed, as is Insarov, although the latter certainly passed his “test of love.” This is how the author’s complex attitude towards the nihilist Bazarov was revealed - respect for his personal qualities and rejection of his social program.

Roman I.S. Turgenev's "Fathers and Sons" was completed in 1862. In this work, the writer touched upon deep political, philosophical and aesthetic problems, captured real life conflicts, revealed the essence of the ideological struggle between the main social forces in Russia in the early 60s of the 19th century. Central figure The novel's character is the commoner democrat Evgeniy Bazarov.

At the first meeting of Bazarov with the rest of the heroes of the novel, the author introduces us appearance young man. The hero’s clothing, manners and behavior indicate his belonging to to the common people, and that he is proud of this, and does not intend to comply with the rules of etiquette of the aristocratic nobility. This is a man of firm and uncompromising convictions, a man of action. Bazarov is a nihilist. He is an experimenter, passionate about science and medicine, and works tirelessly. Bazarov is dismissive of art and human feelings: “Raphael is not worth a penny.” does not recognize the beauty of nature: “Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it.” The hero does not believe in love, denies its existence, claims that this is all “romanticism” or “nonsense.” He believes that there is no love, but only physiology or “the needs of the body.”

Before meeting Odintsova, Bazarov is a man of sober and deep intelligence, confident in his abilities, proud and purposeful. He defends the ideas of nihilism, argued with Pavel Petrovich, admitting that the main task of the nihilists is to destroy everything old in order to “clear the place,” and building is not their business. Having the ability to influence other people, he suppresses them with his knowledge, logic and will.

But as soon as Bazarov’s relationship with Odintsova begins to develop, the author shows how the hero changes. At first, Odintsova was attracted to Bazarov only externally, as he puts it “physiologically”: “What kind of figure is this? She doesn’t look like other women,” “she has such shoulders as I haven’t seen for a long time.” But as their close communication progresses, Bazarov can no longer maintain his usual restraint and self-control, and is completely immersed in thoughts about Anna Sergeevna. Odintsova herself tried to choose topics for conversations that were interesting to Bazarov, and supported them, which could not but influence the relationship between the characters. The author speaks about the changes that took place in the hero as follows: “In Bazarov, whom Anna Sergeevna obviously favored, although she rarely agreed with him, an unprecedented anxiety began to appear: he was easily irritated, spoke reluctantly, looked angry, and could not sit still, as if Something was bothering him."

For Bazarov himself, love for Odintsova became a serious test to his loyalty to nihilistic ideals. He deeply experienced what he himself rejected: “in conversations with Anna Sergeevna, more and more than before, he expressed his indifferent contempt for everything romantic, and when left alone, he was indignantly aware of the romanticism in himself.” Having challenged Bazarov to be frank, Odintsova rejected his love. She liked him: “He struck Odintsova’s imagination: he occupied her, she thought a lot about him.” But her usual way of life and comfort were more valuable to her than her fleeting passion for Yevgeny Bazarov.

Unhappy love leads Bazarov to a severe mental crisis. The beliefs of nihilism conflict with his human essence. At this moment, the hero no longer sees the goal, the meaning of living. He goes to his parents because of idleness, and in order to distract himself, he begins to help his father in his medical practice. An accidental infection with typhus led to the death of his body, but not his soul; the soul in him had long since died, unable to pass the test of love.

Thus, Turgenev showed the inconsistency of Bazarov’s position. In his novel he debunks the theory of nihilism. Human nature meant to love, admire, feel, live life to the fullest. By denying all this, a person dooms himself to death. We see this in the example of the fate of Yevgeny Bazarov.

Anyone who enjoyed attending literature classes while studying at school will definitely remember the work of I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons” and its main character, Evgeny Bazarov. Surely most readers, when asked who he is, will answer that this character is a nihilist. However, to remember what it was like for most of us it will take some time to retrieve from memory what was read. Some people became acquainted with this work five years ago, and others twenty-five years ago. Well, let's try to remember together what Bazarov says about love.

Love and Nihilism

Anna Sergeevna Odintsova

All of Evgeniy’s ideas about love change after he meets Eugene’s feeling for this woman, breaks into his heart and takes over his mind. It contradicts everything. Bazarov’s attitude towards love goes against his ideas about how things should be.

Anna Sergeevna attracts Evgeny's attention at the ball, he admires the beauty and article of this beautiful woman, but asks about her with feigned nonchalance.

Relations between Bazarov and Odintsova

Anna Sergeevna also became slightly interested in Evgeniy. She invites him to stay at Nikolskoye, her estate. Bazarov accepts this invitation, this woman interests him. In Nikolskoye they spend a lot of time walking around the neighborhood. They talk a lot with each other and argue. Evgeny Bazarov in the eyes of Odintsova is very interesting companion, she sees him as an intelligent person.

What about our hero? It must be said that after the trip to Nikolskoye, love in Bazarov’s life ceases to be only something that does not rise above the level of physiology. He truly fell in love with Odintsova.

Tragedy of the Nihilist

So, a change has occurred in Bazarov’s soul that refutes all his theories. His feeling for Anna Sergeevna is deep and strong. Initially he tries to brush it off. However, Odintsova challenges him to a frank conversation while walking in the garden and receives a declaration of love.

Bazarov does not believe that Anna Sergeevna’s feelings for him are mutual. Nevertheless, the love in Bazarov’s life instills in his heart hope that she will be disposed towards him. All his thoughts, all his aspirations are now connected with one single woman. Bazarov only wants to be with her. Anna Sergeevna prefers not to give him hope for reciprocity, choosing peace of mind.

The rejected Bazarov is having a hard time. He goes home, trying to lose himself in work. It becomes clear that Bazarov’s previous attitude towards love is forever in the past.

Last meeting

The main character was destined to meet his beloved again. Being terminally ill, Evgeniy sends a messenger for Anna Sergeevna. Odintsova comes to him with a doctor, but she does not rush into his arms. She was simply afraid for Bazarov. Evgeniy dies in her arms. By the end of his life he remains absolutely alone. Bazarov is rejected by everyone, only the elderly parents continue to selflessly love their son.

So, we see how much Bazarov’s attitude towards love changed when he met his feminine ideal in the person of Anna Sergeevna. The tragedy of this hero turned out to be very similar to the love disappointments that probably everyone experienced. We meet a person whom we consider ideal, but he turns out to be unattainable for some reason. We suffer from lack of attention, not noticing that loved ones are ready to give a lot for us. Towards the end of his life, Bazarov finally begins to understand the power parental love: “People like them cannot be found in our world during the day.” However, such an important understanding comes to him too late.

Didn't like the essay?
We have 10 more similar essays.

Bazarov's character is complex and contradictory. His views undergo changes under the influence of various reasons. At the beginning of the novel, Bazarov is a convinced nihilist. He denies literally everything: the principles of liberals, English aristocracy, the logic of history, authorities, art. Confronting your hero with serious life's trials, the author forced him to give up a number of beliefs, to come to skepticism and pessimism. But at first, before meeting Odintsova, Bazarov emerged victorious from all his clashes (with Pavel Petrovich, Nikolai Petrovich, Arkady). Even shortly before the historical meeting, Evgeny Bazarov is a man of sober and deep intelligence, confident in his abilities and in the work to which he devoted himself, proud, purposeful, with the ability to influence other people and even suppress them. What happened to him?

After meeting with Odintsova, changes slowly begin to brew in Bazarovo, generated by internal struggle. The hero at first covers up his nascent feeling with feigned swagger with careless - sometimes cynical - remarks about Odintsova.

Arrival at Odintsova’s estate is another step towards the downfall of Bazarov’s convictions. The hero begins to manifest feelings that were not previously characteristic of him. For example, shyness. He can no longer maintain his usual restraint and composure. Anxiety settles in him. Realizing that a feeling he denies and the “romanticism” that he so hates is awakening in him, he tries in every possible way to fight himself. He always considered love to be something like a disease. And then he became infected with this disease. He would have refused all this with contemptuous laughter and cynicism... And he could not. This depresses Bazarov. This makes him, when he confesses his feelings to Odintsova, call his feeling “stupid, crazy.” Odintsova was frightened by this heavy feeling and recoiled from Nazarov. For such proud man like him, this was enough to understand the truth without words.

No one is immune from defeat in love. But in this test, will, endurance, and stamina are tested. But where did Bazarov’s fortitude go? He gave in to failure in life, to something he didn’t believe in at all. Having fallen into the power of romance, which he never called anything other than “nonsense,” Bazarov begins to give up many of his beliefs and views. He is overcome by melancholy, despondency, and apathy. He is trying to be brave, there is a complex internal struggle going on within him. Melancholy forces the protagonist to take up science. He goes to the Kirsanov estate.

The author needed the sudden relationship between Bazarov and Fenechka as a reason for a duel with Pavel Petrovich. The challenge to a duel, like everything that Pavel Petrovich did, was full of pathos and eternal English aristocracy. The most amazing thing is that Bazarov accepted this challenge. Although it was easiest for him to refuse, because he always laughed at such customs, and he didn’t care how they looked at him. Bazarov himself compares the two duelists with “learned dogs” dancing on hind legs. And yet he accepts the challenge.

Bazarov wounds Pavel Petrovich, but behaves like a true noble man. He takes care of the wounded man, forgetting both his beliefs and his hostility towards Pavel Petrovich. And this makes Bazarov attractive in the eyes of the reader. If you look at the duel as another test, then Bazarov passed it with honor, showing himself to be a brave and honest man.

And finally, the last test. Death. After failure with Odintsova, Bazarov returns to the estate to his parents (see essay). There he is overcome by gloomy thoughts about life, about the impossibility of happiness, about the futility human activity. When Bazarov becomes infected and realizes that he will die, he comes to a very simple thought. This idea is that it is impossible to deny death, for it itself denies everything and everyone. It’s late, but still Bazarov manages to realize the falsity of many of his beliefs. Not only death cannot be denied, but also love, and traditions, and much more. The fact that Bazarov comes to such a conviction does not speak of weakness, but rather of strength of character. It can be difficult to admit your mistakes. Bazarov, in the face of death, still managed to do this. But with his stubbornness, such a step was very difficult.