Essay on the topic “Realism of the novel Eugene Onegin. Essay “Realism of the novel by A.S.

The novel "Eugene Onegin" is a comprehensive implementation of realistic principles. Pushkin’s realism is realized in all aspects of his poetic creativity: in the realism of characters, and in the realism of the plot (Pushkin based the relationships between characters on the life conflicts that life itself gave him), and in the realism of language, and, finally, in the realism of verse. in the sense that Pushkin builds verse on intonation that corresponds to experiences of a certain nature.

The main problem of “Eugene Onegin” is the problem of the crisis of noble culture, a reflection of the historical contradictions that faced noble society during the era of serfdom.

The plot of "Eugene Onegin" is the story of the collision
the best characters created by noble culture, with the society that gave birth to these characters.
The defining moment in the development of the plot is the impact on the heroes of social conditions and conventions characteristic of the noble environment, leading to the collapse of their personal destiny. The offended Lensky unconsciously obeys them, challenging Onegin to a duel; Onegin consciously submits to them, accepting this challenge and contradicting himself (“Having overthrown the burden of the conditions of light...”, Onegin, however, could not overcome “false shame”); Tatyana consciously obeys them when she gets married (“for poor Tanya, all the lots were equal”) and at the last meeting with Onegin, etc.

The plot of "Eugene Onegin" is limited to a love conflict, but the reasons for the social order - the conflict of the individual with the environment, with society - are felt in the very fate of the heroes.
Thus, when selecting events to characterize Tatyana, Pushkin was bound by the fact that the woman during this period did not have any opportunities to demonstrate her social activity, and in this sense, a love conflict was already a form of expression of public protest. For example, Tatyana’s letter is a violation on her part of the usual norms of social behavior. It is no coincidence that Pushkin in several stanzas motivates Tatyana’s action and justifies it. Suffice it to remember that even at such a moment of social upsurge as the Decembrist uprising, a woman’s social activity could only be revealed in the fact that she shared the fate of her husband, and this very fact (the departure of Trubetskoy, Volkonskaya, etc.) had a huge public resonance.

The composition of “Eugene Onegin”, understood as the principle of development of action and characters, is distinguished by the typical features of a realistic composition. In the composition “Eugene Onegin” the following points can be noted:

1) the naturalness of the life process itself, the development of characters in their natural everyday and social environment (as opposed to “romantic” poems, where there is a conventionality of the life situation in which the character develops);
2) logical sequence of action and character development;
3) typicality and regularity of life circumstances and motivation of actions.

In Eugene Onegin, realistic principles in the field of plot are fully realized. For the heroes, their characteristic type of life has been found, and those circumstances have been found in which they are most fully revealed. Thus, Onegin is given in the circle of such life circumstances in which the type of a refined, weak-willed person who was losing the ability for real practical activity was actually created.

The following main points are noticeable in Onegin's character: a typical noble upbringing, social life, impending ruin, receiving an inheritance, arrival in the village, casual friendship with Lensky, acquaintance with the Larins, a duel, travel, return to St. Petersburg, love for Tatyana when she becomes " the unapproachable goddess of the luxurious, royal Neva,” that is, a return to the same social life from which he left - this is the main chain of events in which Onegin’s character is realized. The same principle can be established in the depiction of Lensky and Tatyana (rural silence, closeness to nature, affection for the nanny, etc.)

The principle of realism is also found in the sequence of events, in their internal motivation. One event follows from another and determines the next one. Onegin's arrival in the village, rapprochement with Lensky, Tatyana's meeting with Onegin, her letter, Onegin's quarrel with Lensky, the duel and its consequences, etc. - all this is given in a consistent logical connection insofar as it is inextricably linked with the very growth of characters .
The broader and more multifaceted the characters are revealed in the novel, the deeper the contradictions of the surrounding social reality are revealed. The absurd death of Lensky, the fading of Onegin in the “inactivity of leisure”, the insignificant role of Tatyana as a “legislator of the hall”, the dramatic finale of her life (“but I was given to another ...”) and the life of the nobility itself, as it is given in the novel - all this, taken together, leads to the conclusion about Pushkin’s deep awareness of the “imperfection of the world”, in which its best representatives perish.

The serfdom environment destroys, devalues ​​characters who carry the best traits of humanity, and destroys people who are critical of this reality. This is the contradiction of the social reality of that time, which Pushkin reveals in Eugene Onegin. The image of a person, as depicted by Pushkin, contained such aspirations, the full implementation of which was possible only in other social conditions, and this is the realism of these images.

It has long been recognized that the novel “Eugene Onegin” was the first realistic novel in Russian literature. What exactly do we mean when we say “realistic”? Realism, in my opinion, presupposes, in addition to the truthfulness of details, the depiction of typical characters in typical circumstances. From this characteristic of realism it follows that truthfulness in the depiction of particulars and details is an indispensable condition for a realistic work. But this is not enough. Even more important is what is contained in the second part of the characterization: the depiction of typical characters in typical circumstances. These words must be understood in their inseparability. The typical character itself could be found in a romantic work. For example, the hero of Pushkin’s romantic poem “Prisoner of the Caucasus” is certainly a typical character. Just like Aleko in “Gypsies”. For realism, what is important is not just the typical character, but the character shown in typical circumstances, explained by these circumstances. Characters in realistic works are given in their life, historical and social conditioning.

For a realist in art, not only the question is important: what is this or that hero? But the question is: why, under what circumstances did he become like this? This is what makes a truly realistic work both a true picture of life and an artistic exploration of life.

Does Eugene Onegin correspond to this understanding of realism? Without a doubt. The picture of Russian reality depicted by Pushkin in the novel is so accurate and truthful in particulars that Belinsky called the novel “an encyclopedia of Russian life.” In fact, from the novel you can get acquainted with Russian life in the 20s. XIX century, to study it not only in its main phenomena and processes, but also in detail. Let us recall, for example, one of Pushkin’s many surprisingly truthful descriptions - the description of the house in which Onegan’s uncle lived:

“The venerable castle was built,
How castles should be built:
Extremely durable and calm
In the taste of smart antiquity
There are lofty chambers everywhere,
There is damask wallpaper in the living room,
Portraits of kings on the walls,
And stoves with colorful tiles.”

The most remarkable thing here is the very precise, historically accurate details (“damask wallpaper”, “stoves in colorful tiles”, etc.). All descriptions are made up of true details. This is what makes the description so impressive and so artistically meaningful. This is a typical example for the novel “Eugene Onegin”.

We have already managed to make sure that all the characters in Pushkin’s novel are typical characters. How are they drawn by Pushkin, how does he portray his main characters? We get to know Onegin better and more fully through the circumstances of his life: through the peculiarities of his upbringing, the influence of St. Petersburg social life on him, then life in the wilderness of the village, etc. Tatyana is shown in the novel not by herself, but in the environment that raised her character and her soul: among the countryside, close to her nanny, next to her simple-minded parents who did not interfere with her in anything. These characteristic life circumstances helped her become what she is, and they help us to know and understand Tatyana more fully, more deeply, and to find out the whole truth about her. Lensky and other heroes of the novel are revealed through typical life circumstances. The novel "Eugene Onegin" in all its qualities turns out to be a truly realistic work. It is a realistic novel both in the nature of its depiction of characters and in the nature of its depiction of life in general.

“Eugene Onegin” is the first Russian realistic novel that truthfully and broadly shows Russian life in the 19th century. What makes it unique is the breadth of its coverage of reality, its description of the era and its distinctive features. That is why Belinsky called “Eugene Onegin” “an encyclopedia of Russian life.”

One of the issues raised on the pages of the novel was the question of the Russian nobility. In his novel, Pushkin truthfully showed the way of life, life, and interests of the nobility and gave an accurate description of the representatives of this society.

The life of the landowner families proceeded in peace and quiet. They were like a “good family” with their neighbors. They could laugh and slander, but this is not at all like the intrigues of the capital.

In the families of the nobles, they “preserved the lives of the peaceful habits of dear old times.” They observed traditional folk and holiday rituals. They loved songs and round dances.

They passed away quietly, without fuss. For example, Dmitry Larin “was a kind fellow, belated in the last century.” He did not read books, did not delve into the household, raising children, “ate and drank in his dressing gown” and “died an hour before dinner.”

The poet very figuratively showed us the Larins’ guests who had gathered for Tatiana’s name day. Here are “fat Pustyakov”, and “Gvozdin, an excellent owner, owner of poor peasants”, and “retired adviser Flyanov, a heavy gossip, an old rogue, a glutton, a bribe-taker and a buffoon.”

The landowners lived in the old fashioned way, did nothing, led an empty lifestyle. They cared only about their well-being, had “a whole line of drinks” and, having gathered together, talked “about haymaking, about wine, about the kennel, about their relatives.” They weren't interested in anything else. Unless they talk about new people who have appeared in their society, about whom a lot of fables have been written. The landowners dreamed of marrying off their daughters profitably and literally caught suitors for them. So it was with Lensky: “All their daughters were destined for their half-Russian neighbor.”

The life of the peasantry in the novel is shown rather sparingly. Pushkin gives an accurate and complete description of the cruelty of the landowners in only a few words. So, Larina “shaved the foreheads” of the guilty peasants, “she beat the maids in anger.” She was greedy and forced the girls to sing while picking berries, “so that wicked lips would not secretly eat the master’s berries.”

When Evgeniy, having arrived in the village, “replaced the yoke... of the old corvée with a light quitrent,” then “his calculating neighbor sulked in his corner, seeing in this a terrible harm.”

The work depicts the life of the capital's aristocratic society. In the novel, as in an encyclopedia, you can learn everything about the era, how they dressed, what was in fashion, the menus of prestigious restaurants. We can also find out what was on in the theaters of that era.

The life of the nobles is a continuous holiday. Their main occupation is empty chatter, blind imitation of everything foreign, gossip that spreads with instant speed. They did not want to work, because “they were sick of persistent work.” Pushkin writes that a person’s fame depends on his financial situation. The author shows the monotony of metropolitan society, empty interests, and mental limitations. The color of the capital is “necessary borders”, “angry gentlemen”, “dictators”, “seemingly evil ladies” and “unsmiling girls”.

Everything about them is so pale and indifferent;

They slander even boringly;

In the barren dryness of speech,

Questions, gossip and news

No thoughts will flash for a whole day,

Even by chance, even at random...

The characterization of the nobles given by the poet shows that they had only one goal - to achieve fame and rank. Pushkin condemns such people. He makes fun of their way of life.

The poet shows us various pictures of Russian life, depicts before us the fates of different people, draws typical types of representatives of noble society for the era - in a word, depicts reality as it really is.

Truthfulness is one of the main qualities of the novel “Eugene Onegin”. In it A.S. Pushkin reflected the reality of the 19th century: people’s habits, their actions, secular society itself. That is why “Eugene Onegin” is an invaluable work in historical and literary terms.

The great critic Belinsky called this novel “an encyclopedia of Russian life.” And indeed it is. It is in this work by A.S. Pushkin was one of the first poets to decide to depict society to readers as it was in the 19th century. Secular society in “Eugene Onegin” is not shown from the best side. In this society, it was enough to dress smartly and do your hair. And then everyone began to consider you a secular person. This happened with the main character of the novel, Onegin. He was bored with social life, and the society that surrounded him oppressed the hero. This life killed all feelings in the main character, and it was impossible for him to escape anywhere from the mood that was in his soul. Onegin is opposed to the majority of people of this era, and secular society does not accept him. Evgeniy is forced to leave. He arrives in the village. From this moment we are transported to a completely different environment, where everything was much calmer than in the city. The main character was not accepted here either, since he was sharply different from the majority of the village population. But here, too, Onegin managed to find people who understood him. Here he found a devoted friend Lensky, the true love of Tatyana Larina. Tatyana grew up as a reserved girl, but with a huge imagination, her soul was constantly full of many different feelings:

One wanders with a dangerous book,

She searches and finds in her

Your secret heat, your dreams...

Having given her heart to Onegin, Tatyana could no longer trust her secret to anyone, not even her closest relatives. And not only because she was a secretive girl, but also because the society around her would never be able to understand her. This situation occurs quite often nowadays. The surrounding society does not allow a person to develop individually: it either adjusts it in its own way or rejects it. The person becomes withdrawn and is afraid to trust anyone.

This work has great historical significance. Studying “Eugene Onegin”, the reader learns what the life of people was like, their activities, habits, holidays; Pushkin describes in detail the festive atmosphere of Tatyana Larina’s name day, guests who seemed to her completely boring people, dances:

Monotonous and crazy

Like a young whirlwind of life,

A noisy whirlwind swirls around the waltz;

Couple flashes after couple.

Probably the most striking example of people’s insensitivity, their disrespect for others, was the death of Lensky. Lensky was an unusual, sincere person, but who, unfortunately, was not really noticed during his life, and after his death they forgot about him:

But now... the monument is sad

Forgotten. There's a familiar trail to him

I stalled. There is no wreath on the branch;

One under him, gray-haired and frail,

The shepherd is still singing...

Apparently, Lensky was born too early, because society would never have been able to rise to his level.

Moscow!.. Tatyana turned from a provincial girl into a noble lady by marrying a general. And in appearance she was no different from other women. She was able to achieve this without much effort. Her life changed dramatically... But was she happy?..

The novel “Eugene Onegin” is of great importance for Russian people. And as Belinsky said: “To evaluate such a work is to evaluate the poet himself in the entire scope of his creative activity.” And although two centuries have passed, the themes raised in “Eugene Onegin” remain relevant today.