Raskolnikov silently took the hands of his sister and mother in his hands, looking intently into their eyes. The mother was frightened by his gaze; there was a strong feeling in it and something motionless, as if crazy. Rodion began to persuade his mother and sister to go to his place, assuring that Razumikhin would look after him. When the name Luzhin was mentioned, he told his sister that he did not want this marriage. Dunya did not argue with her brother, seeing his condition. Razumikhin managed to convince Pulcheria Alexandrovna and Dunya to go to the rooms rented for them by Luzhin, and volunteered to accompany them.
Razumikhin was very excited. His state resembled some kind of delight. He did not yet realize that he immediately fell in love with Raskolnikov’s sister. Having brought both ladies to the indicated address, he was amazed at what bad rooms Luzhin had rented for them. He strictly ordered them not to open the door to strangers. Razumikhin promised to tell them about Rodion’s condition, which he subsequently did.
Mother and daughter were left in anxious anticipation. Avdotsya Romanovna, lost in thought, walked from corner to corner. She was pretty - tall, slender, strong, confident. The expression on her face was almost always serious, but how a smile came to that face, how her cheerful, young laughter came to her! Pulcheria Alexandrovna, at forty-three years old, looked much younger than her years and her face still retained the remnants of the beauty of her youth.
As promised, Razumikhin came to talk about Rodion’s condition and brought Zosimov to them. He spoke in more detail about Raskolnikov’s illness. In the morning, Razumikhin again visited Raskolnikov’s sister and mother. We talked again about his condition. The conversation also turned to Rodion's deceased fiancee. Razumikhin himself knew little about this, but said that the bride was not good-looking and very sick. There is no dowry. In general, it is difficult to judge this matter. The marriage did not take place due to the sudden death of the bride.
Pulcheria Alexandrovna gained such trust in Razumikhin that she decided to discuss another rather delicate issue with him. It turned out that Luzhin, who did not meet them at the station, but only sent a lackey, gave them the letter. This letter said that he was going to visit them that evening, but asked that Rodion not be present at the meeting. Further in the letter, he told his sister and mother that he met Rodion in the apartment of a drunkard crushed by horses and saw with his own eyes how Rodion gave twenty-five rubles to a girl of “notorious behavior” supposedly for a funeral. The mother did not know how to tell her son not to come. Avdotya Romanovna, on the contrary, decided that Rodion must certainly be present at their meeting with Luzhin in order to immediately resolve all misunderstandings. Having decided nothing, everyone went to Rodion.
Compared to yesterday, Rodion was almost healthy, which Zosimov confirmed. Raskolnikov told his mother that yesterday he gave the money she had sent for Marmeladov’s funeral. He asked her for forgiveness, but there was a widow, a pitiful woman, and hungry children.
The more they talked, the more tension arose in the conversation. “But they are definitely afraid of me,” thought Raskolnikov. To defuse the situation, Pulcheria Alexandrovna began to talk about the death of Marfa Petrovna, Svidrigailov’s wife. They say that her husband beat her terribly, she went into town, had lunch and went to the bathhouse. There she suffered a stroke. There was another pause in the conversation. “Are you sure you’re afraid of me?” - said Raskolnikov. “It’s really true,” Dunya answered honestly. The mother protested, Rodion took her hand: “Come on, Mama, we’ll have time to talk.” Having said this, he became embarrassed and turned pale. He realized that he had told a terrible lie, that now he would never be able to talk to anyone. This thought struck him so much that he stood up and quickly left the room.
Razumikhin stopped him. Quite unexpectedly for everyone, he said: “Why are you so boring! Let's talk! " He explained his behavior by saying that he remembered one thing. This calmed everyone down. Zosimov took his leave and left. Razumikhin also began to say goodbye. Raskolnikov remembered his love for the landlady's daughter. This ugly girl was very pious and loved to give to the poor. Suddenly he stood up and, without looking at anyone, walked around the room again. Then he seriously told his sister that he would not give up his own: “Either I or Luzhin.” It was clear that Avdotya Romanovna was thinking about his words yesterday. She replied that she was marrying Luzhin not for Rodion, but for herself. Raskolnikov thought she was lying. They showed him Luzhin's letter. Raskolnikov was surprised by how illiterate and dryly it was written. He decided not to argue with his sister anymore: “I’ll do what’s best for you.” Dunya urgently asked him to be present at the meeting with Luzhin this evening.
At that moment a girl unexpectedly entered the room. It was Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladova. Today she was a modestly dressed girl, almost a girl with decent manners. She was embarrassed to see a room full of people. Looking at her more closely, Raskolnikov realized that this creature was extremely humiliated. Everything in him suddenly turned upside down. Seeing her move to leave, he stopped her. Sonya embarrassedly conveyed to Raskolnikov Katerina Ivanovna’s invitation to attend Marmeladov’s funeral.
Raskolnikov's sister and mother left. The mother was worried about her son meeting a girl with such a reputation. Dunya called Luzhin a gossip; she was sure that Sonya was a beautiful girl. And Raskolnikov started talking to Razumikhin about his things pawned with the murdered old woman pawnbroker. He heard that investigator Porfiry Petrovich was interviewing the pawnbrokers. He kept a silver watch there, which was dear to his mother as a memory of his father. Rodion said that he would not want them to get lost. Razumikhin believed that it was better to turn to Porfiry Petrovich.
Seeing that Raskolnikov needed to go, Sonechka hurried again. They all left together. On the street, Raskolnikov found out Sonya's address and promised to come to her. He couldn't say goodbye to her. Finally, they parted.
Sonya was so excited by the meeting and Raskolnikov’s promise to come see her that she did not notice the gentleman who had been carefully watching them even during their conversation and then followed her. He was a man of about fifty, above average height, with broad, steep shoulders. He was dressed smartly and comfortably. He had a beautiful cane in his hands, and fresh gloves on his hands. He had blond hair, a wide thick beard and blue eyes. Seeing the house Sonya entered, the man was very surprised. It turned out that they occupied adjacent rooms.
Further, in part 3 of the novel “Crime and Punishment” it is said that Raskolnikov and Razumikhin went to Porfiry Petrovich. They started talking about the old woman again. Raskolnikov said that he visited her three days before the murder. Raskolnikov entered Porfiry Petrovich’s room, barely holding back his laughter, and Razumikhin, completely enraged. The fact is that Raskolnikov began to make fun of Razumikhin’s love for Dunya. Raskolnikov was unpleasantly surprised that Porfiry Petrovich had Zametov. Porfiry Petrovich received the guest with emphatic courtesy. Raskolnikov briefly and clearly outlined the essence of his case. Porfiry Petrovich said that you need to write a statement at the office regarding the pawned things. Raskolnikov, emphasizing his limited means, asked if this statement could be written on plain paper. Raskolnikov marveled aloud at Porfiry Petrovich’s amazing memory - after all, there were many pawnbrokers, and he remembered that Raskolnikov had come for the watch. He calmly, with a hint of mockery, answered: “All the pawnbrokers have already visited, you’re the only one who didn’t deign to come.” Raskolnikov spoke about his illness, anger began to boil within him. “But in anger I’ll let it slip!” - flashed through him.
Much in this conversation worried Raskolnikov. He was unpleasantly surprised by Porfiry’s remark that Nikodim Fomich met him at Marmeladov’s. Porfiry Petrovich turned the conversation to their argument yesterday at Razumikhin’s. It turned out that they were arguing about a crime. Razumikhin spoke critically yesterday and stood his ground today regarding the opinion of the socialists. They believe that the social system is to blame for crimes. Porfiry Petrovich asked Raskolnikov’s opinion on this issue. It turned out that he had read his article in the newspaper Periodical Press. Raskolnikov did not even know that this article of his had been published. Porfiry Petrovich outlined the essence of the article in a pointedly primitive manner.
Raskolnikov was forced to explain his point of view in more detail. He believes that extraordinary people have the right, in conscience, to step over certain obstacles if the implementation of an idea requires it. For example, if Newton's discoveries could remain unknown because of the lives of ten, a hundred or more people who interfered with this, then he would have the right and even the obligation to eliminate these ten, hundred people. Most of the historical figures were terrible bloodshed. Porfiry Petrovich noticed that if there were a lot of such extraordinary people, it would become creepy, sir. Raskolnikov sadly and calmly explained that such people are rarely born. Razumikhin was horrified by this theory, because it turns out that Raskolnikov allows blood out of conscience, and this is worse than an official permission to kill. To the poisonous question that if an ordinary person imagines himself extraordinary and commits a crime, Raskolnikov explained that this is why investigators and prisons exist in society. Then, an ordinary person will definitely stop halfway towards the goal, his conscience will begin to torment him, he will repent. Porfiry Petrovich asked if, when he wrote this article, he considered himself an extraordinary person. Raskolnikov replied that it was possible. Porfiry Petrovich did not let up and asked him if he could kill? There was a pause. Raskolnikov looked at everyone gloomily and prepared to leave. Finally, Porfiry Petrovich asked Raskolnikov if he had seen painters on the stairs on his last visit to Alena Ivanovna. Raskolnikov understood the catch and replied that he had not seen anyone. (After all, the painters were painting on the day the old woman was killed, but three days before the murder they were not there).
Raskolnikov and Razumikhin left Porfiry Petrovich gloomy and gloomy. They headed to the rooms where Raskolnikov's mother and sister were staying. On the way to them, Raskolnikov gave Razumikhin the idea to talk frankly with Porfiry Petrovich about why they suspected Raskolnikov of murdering the old pawnbroker. Raskolnikov suddenly left Razumikhin at the rooms and quickly went to his room. He thought that some small thing from the old woman’s belongings could remain in his room, which would become irrefutable evidence against him. He searched the hole in which the old woman’s things lay, but there was nothing left there.
Deep in thought, Raskolnikov left the house. At the gate he saw that the janitor pointed at him to an elderly man. The tradesman looked at him carefully and, without saying anything, left. Raskolnikov caught up with him, walked alongside him for a while, then asked why he was looking for him. "Killer!" - he said in a quiet but clear voice. He returned to his closet with weakened steps and lay down on the bed. Some fragments of thoughts flashed through his head.
Razumikhin and Nastasya arrived. Raskolnikov pretended to be asleep, and they decided not to wake him. Raskolnikov forgot. He dreamed that he saw a tradesman on the street. He looked around and beckoned Raskolnikov to follow him. It turned out that the tradesman brought him with him to the old woman’s apartment. She sat hunched over on a chair. Raskolnikov thought that she was afraid of him and bent down to look at the old woman. Then he saw that she was laughing. Raskolnikov grabbed an ax and began to hit her on the head, but the old woman continued to laugh. He started to run, but there were people everywhere. Raskolnikov woke up in horror.
The dream seemed to continue. The door to his room was open, and a stranger stood on the threshold. Raskolnikov pretended to be asleep, the man was silent. “Tell me what you want?” - asked Raskolnikov. “I knew you weren’t sleeping,” the stranger laughed. It was Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov.
Source (abbreviated): Big reference book: The whole Russian language. All Russian literature / I.N. Agekyan, N.M. Volchek and others - Mn.: Modern writer, 2003
Brief summaries of other parts of the novel “Crime and Punishment”: H
Works by F.M. Dostoevsky is included in the golden fund of world literature, his novels are read all over the world, and they still do not lose their relevance. “Crime and Punishment” is one of such timeless works, touching on the themes of faith and unbelief, strength and weakness, humiliation and greatness. The author masterfully depicts the setting, immersing the reader in the atmosphere of the novel, helping to better understand the characters and their actions, making them think.
The plot centers on Rodion Raskolnikov, a student who is mired in poverty. And it’s not just a lack of money for some kind of pleasure, it’s poverty that destroys and drives you crazy. This is a closet that looks like a coffin, rags and not knowing whether you will eat tomorrow. The hero is forced to leave the university, but cannot improve his affairs in any way; he feels the injustice of his situation, sees around him the same disadvantaged and humiliated people.
Raskolnikov is proud, sensitive and smart, the atmosphere of poverty and injustice presses on him, which is why a terrible and destructive theory is born in his head. It lies in the fact that people are divided into lower (“ordinary”) and higher (“people”). The first ones are needed only to maintain the human population; they are useless. But the latter move civilization forward, putting forward completely new ideas and goals that can be achieved by any means. For example, the hero compares himself with Napoleon and comes to the conclusion that he is also capable of changing the world and putting his own price on the changes. In this sense, he is no different from the old money-lender who valued the things brought to her. Be that as it may, Rodion decided to test this theory on himself (“Am I a trembling creature or do I have rights?”), killing the old money-lender and not only that, saving thousands of people from her tyranny, and improving his own financial situation.
Why did Raskolnikov kill the old pawnbroker?
The hero hesitates for a long time and nevertheless confirms his decision after meeting with the official Marmeladov, who drinks heavily, driving himself, his wife Katerina Ivanovna, her children, and daughter Sonya into poverty (she is generally forced to work as a prostitute to help the family) . Marmeladov understands his fall, but cannot help himself. And when he was run over by a horse while drunk, the family’s situation turned out to be even more disastrous. He decided to help these people destroyed by poverty. Comparing their plight with the unfair contentment of Alena Ivanovna, the hero came to the conclusion that his theory was correct: society can be saved, but this salvation will require human sacrifice. Having decided and committed the murder, Raskolnikov falls ill and feels lost for people (“I didn’t kill the old woman... I killed myself”). The hero cannot accept the love of his mother and sister Dunya, or the care of his friend Razumikhin.
Raskolnikov's doubles: Luzhin and Svidrigailov
Also a double is Svidrigailov, who tried to seduce Dunya. He is the same criminal, guided by the principle “a single evil is permissible” if the final goal is good.” It would seem similar to Rodion’s theory, but that’s not the case: his goal should be good only from a hedonistic point of view and for Svidrigailov himself. If the hero did not see pleasure in it for himself, then he did not notice anything good. It turns out that he did evil for the benefit of himself, and, moreover, for the benefit of his depravity. If Luzhin wanted a caftan, that is, material well-being, then this hero longed to satisfy his base passions and nothing more.
Raskolnikov and Sonya Marmeladova
Suffering and languishing, Raskolnikov becomes close to Sonya, who also broke the law, like the hero. But the girl remained pure in her soul, she is more a martyr than a sinner. She sold her innocence for a symbolic 30 rubles, just as Judas sold Christ for 30 pieces of silver. At this price she saved her family, but betrayed herself. The vicious environment did not prevent her from remaining a deeply religious girl and perceiving what was happening as a necessary sacrifice. Therefore, the author notes that the vice did not touch her spirit. With her timid demeanor and her incessant shame, the girl contradicted the vulgarity and impudence of the representatives of her profession.
Sonya reads to Rodion about the resurrection of Lazarus, and he confesses to the murder, believing in his own resurrection. He did not confess to investigator Porfiry Petrovich, who already knew about his guilt, did not confess to his mother, sister, Razumikhin, but chose Sonya, feeling salvation in her. And this intuitive feeling was confirmed.
The meaning of the epilogue in the novel “Crime and Punishment”
However, Raskolnikov did not repent at all, he was only upset that he could not withstand moral torment and turned out to be an ordinary person. Because of this, he again experiences a spiritual crisis. Finding himself in hard labor, Rodion looks down on the prisoners and even on Sonya, who followed him. The convicts respond to him with hatred, but Sonya tries to make Raskolnikov’s life easier, because she loves him with all her pure soul. The prisoners responded sensitively to the heroine’s affection and kindness; they understood her silent feat without words. Sonya remained a martyr to the end, trying to atone for both her sin and the sin of her lover.
In the end, the truth is revealed to the hero, he repents of his crime, his soul begins to be reborn, and he is imbued with “endless love” for Sonya. The hero's readiness for a new life is symbolically expressed by the author in the gesture when Rodion joins the sacraments of the Bible. In Christianity he finds the consolation and humility necessary for his proud character to restore inner harmony.
“Crime and Punishment”: the history of the creation of the novel
F.M. Dostoevsky did not immediately come up with a title for his work; he had options “On Trial”, “The Tale of a Criminal”, and the title we know appeared only at the end of work on the novel. The meaning of the title “Crime and Punishment” is revealed in the composition of the book. At the beginning, Raskolnikov, overwhelmed by the delusions of his theory, kills the old money-lender, breaking moral laws. Next, the author debunks the hero’s misconceptions, Rodion himself suffers, then ends up in hard labor. This is his punishment for putting himself above everyone around him. Only repentance gave him a chance to save his soul. The author also shows the inevitability of punishment for any crime. And this punishment is not only legal, but also moral.
In addition to the variation in the title, the novel initially had a different concept. While in hard labor, the writer conceived the novel as a confession of Raskolnikov, wanting to show the spiritual experience of the hero. Further, the scale of the work became larger, it could not be limited to the feelings of one character, so F.M. Dostoevsky burned the almost completed novel. And he started again, already as the modern reader knows him.
Subject of the work
The main themes of “Crime and Punishment” are the themes of poverty and oppression of the majority of society, about which no one cares, as well as the themes of rebellion and personal errors under the yoke of social disorder and suffocating poverty. The writer wanted to convey to readers his Christian ideas about life: for harmony in the soul, you need to live morally, according to the commandments, that is, not to give in to pride, selfishness and lust, but to do good to people, love them, sacrificing even your interests for the good of society. That is why at the end of the epilogue Raskolnikov repents and comes to faith. The problem of false beliefs raised in the novel is still relevant today. The main character's theory of permissiveness and the crime of morality for the sake of good goals leads to terror and tyranny. And if Raskolnikov overcame the split in his soul, repented and came to harmony, overcoming the problem, then in larger cases this is not the case. Wars began because some rulers decided that the lives of thousands of people could easily be sacrificed for their goals. That is why the novel, written in the 19th century, does not lose its sharp meaning to this day.
“Crime and Punishment” is one of the greatest works of world literature, imbued with humanism and faith in man. Despite the apparent depressive nature of the story, there is hope for the best, that one can always be saved and saved.
Interesting? Save it on your wall!PART ONE
He woke up late the next day, after a troubled dream, but the dream strengthened him. He woke up bilious, irritable, angry and looked at his closet with hatred. It was a tiny cell, about six paces long, which had the most pitiful appearance with its yellow, dusty wallpaper falling off the walls everywhere, and so low that even a slightly tall person felt terrified in it, and everything seemed to be about to you hit your head on the ceiling. The furniture corresponded to the room: there were three old chairs, not entirely in good working order, a painted table in the corner, on which lay several notebooks and books; just by the way they were dusty, it was clear that no one’s hand had touched them for a long time; and, finally, an awkward large sofa, which occupied almost the entire wall and half the width of the entire room, once upholstered in chintz, but now in rags and served as Raskolnikov’s bed. Often he slept on it as he was, without undressing, without a sheet, covering himself with his old, shabby student coat and with one small pillow in his head, under which he put all the linen he had, clean and worn, so that the headboard would be higher. There was a small table in front of the sofa.
It was difficult to become more dejected and shabby; but for Raskolnikov it was even pleasant in his current state of mind. He resolutely retreated from everyone, like a turtle into its shell, and even the face of the maid, who was obliged to serve him and who sometimes looked into his room, aroused bile and convulsions in him. This happens with other monomaniacs who are too focused on something. His landlady had already stopped giving him food for two weeks, and he still hadn’t thought of going to talk to her, even though he was sitting without dinner. Nastasya, the cook and the landlady's only maid, was partly glad of the tenant's mood and completely stopped cleaning and cleaning for him, and only once a week, by accident, sometimes she took up a broom. She woke him up now.
Get up, why are you sleeping! - she shouted over him, - ten o’clock. I brought you tea; would you like some tea? Are you getting thin?
The tenant opened his eyes, shuddered and recognized Nastasya.
Tea from the hostess, or what? - he asked, slowly and with a painful look, rising on the sofa.
What a surprise from the hostess!
She put her own cracked teapot in front of him, with the tea already drunk, and put two yellow lumps of sugar.
Here, Nastasya, please take this,” he said, rummaging in his pocket (he slept dressed like that) and pulled out a handful of copper, “go and buy me a cod.” Yes, get some cheaper sausages from the sausage shop.
I’ll bring you some cod in a minute, but would you like some cabbage soup instead of sausage? Good cabbage soup, yesterday's. Yesterday I left it for you, but you came late. Good cabbage soup.
When the cabbage soup was brought and he began to eat it, Nastasya sat down next to him on the sofa and began to chat. She was one of the village women and a very talkative woman.
Praskovya Pavlovna wants to report you to the police,” she said.
He winced tightly.
To the police? What does she need?
You don’t pay money and you don’t get off the boat. It is known what is needed.
“Eh, the devil hasn’t gotten enough yet,” he muttered, gritting his teeth, “no, this is now... inopportune for me... She’s a fool,” he added loudly. - I’ll go see her today and talk to her.
She’s a fool, she’s a fool, just like me, and what about you, smart guy, lying there like a sack, not seeing anything from you? Before, you say, you went to teach children, but now why don’t you do anything?
I’m doing... - Raskolnikov said reluctantly and sternly.
What are you doing?
Work...
What kind of work?
I think,” he answered seriously after a pause.
Nastasya burst out laughing. She was one of the laughing ones, and when they made her laugh, she laughed silently, swaying and shaking with her whole body, until she felt sick.
There's a lot of money, what? - she was finally able to say.
You can't teach children without boots. I don't care.
Don't spit in the well.
Children are paid in copper. What can you do with pennies? - he continued reluctantly, as if answering his own thoughts.
Would you like all the capital at once?
He looked at her strangely.
Yes, all the capital,” he answered firmly after a pause.
Well, little by little, otherwise you’ll scare me; It's terribly true. Should I go after the cod or not?
As you wish.
Yes, I forgot! After all, a letter arrived to you yesterday without you.
Letter! to me! from whom?
From whom, I don’t know. I gave my three kopecks to the postman. Will you give it back, or what?
So bring it, for God’s sake, bring it! - Raskolnikov shouted, all in excitement, - Lord!
A minute later a letter appeared. That’s right: from his mother, from the R-th province. He even turned pale while accepting it. He had not received letters for a long time; but now something else suddenly squeezed his heart.
Nastasya, go away, for God’s sake; Here are your three kopecks, but for God’s sake, quickly leave!
The letter trembled in his hands; he did not want to open it in front of her: he wanted to be alone with this letter. When Nastasya came out, he quickly raised it to his lips and kissed it; then for a long time he peered at the handwriting of the address, at the familiar and dear small and crooked handwriting of his mother, who had once taught him to read and write. He hesitated; he even seemed to be afraid of something. Finally I opened it: the letter was large, thick, in two lots; two large postal sheets were covered in fine writing.
“My dear Rodya,” my mother wrote, “it’s been more than two months since I’ve talked to you in writing, from which I myself suffered and didn’t even sleep some nights, thinking. But, probably, you won’t blame me for this involuntary silence of mine. . You know how much I love you; you are the only one for us, for me and for Dunya, you are our everything, all our hope, our hope. What happened to me when I found out that you had left the university for several months already, for lack of anything support yourself, and that your lessons and other means have ceased! How could I, with my one hundred and twenty rubles a year pension, help you? The fifteen rubles that I sent you four months ago, I borrowed, as you yourself know, towards the same pension from our local merchant Afanasy Ivanovich Vakhrushin. He is a good man and was also a friend of your father. But, having given him the right to receive a pension for me, I had to wait until the debt was paid, and this has just now been fulfilled, so I I couldn’t send you anything all this time. But now, thank God, it seems I can send you more, and in general we can now even boast of our fortune, which I hasten to tell you about. And, firstly, can you guess, dear Rodya, that your sister has been living with me for a month and a half now, and we will no longer be separated in the future. Thank you God, her torture is over, but I’ll tell you everything in order, so that you will know how it all happened and what we have been hiding from you until now. When you wrote to me two months ago that you heard from someone that Dunya suffers a lot from rudeness in the house of the Svidrigailovs, and asked me for exact explanations, what could I write to you in response then? If I had written to you the whole truth, then you would probably have dropped everything, even on foot, and come to us, because I know your character and feelings, and you would not have offended your sister. I myself was in despair, but what could I do? I myself didn’t know the whole truth then. The main difficulty was that Dunechka, having entered their house as a governess last year, took a full hundred rubles in advance under the condition of a monthly deduction from her salary, and, therefore, it was impossible to leave the place without paying off the debt. She took this amount (now I can explain everything to you, priceless Rodya) more in order to send you sixty rubles, which you so needed then and which you received from us last year. We deceived you then, we wrote that it was from Dunya’s previous money accumulated, but it was not so, and now I am telling you the whole truth, because everything has now changed suddenly, by the will of God, for the better, and so that you know how much he loves you Dunya and what a priceless heart she has. Indeed, Mr. Svidrigailov treated her very rudely at first and made various incivilities and ridicule to her at the table... But I don’t want to go into all these difficult details, so as not to worry you in vain, when it’s all over now. In short, despite the kind and noble treatment of Marfa Petrovna, Mr. Svidrigailov’s wife, and everyone at home, it was very difficult for Dunechka, especially when Mr. Svidrigailov was, according to his old regimental habit, under the influence of Bacchus. But what happened later? Imagine that this madman had long had a passion for Dunya, but kept hiding it under the guise of rudeness and contempt for her. Perhaps he himself was ashamed and horrified, seeing himself already in age and the father of a family, with such frivolous hopes, and therefore he was involuntarily angry with Dunya. Or perhaps it was that by his rudeness and ridicule he only wanted to hide the whole truth from others. But finally he could not resist and dared to make an obvious and vile proposal to Dunya, promising her various rewards and, moreover, to give up everything and go with her to another village or, perhaps, abroad. Can you imagine all her suffering! It was impossible to leave the place now, not only because of the monetary debt, but also to spare Marfa Petrovna, who might suddenly become suspicious, and therefore would have to create discord in the family. And it would have been a big scandal for Dounia; It wouldn't have worked out that way. There were many different reasons, so Dunya could not possibly hope to escape from this terrible house before six weeks. Of course, you know Dunya, you know how smart she is and how strong her character is. Dunechka can endure a lot and even in the most extreme cases find so much generosity in herself that she does not lose her firmness. She didn’t even write to me about everything, so as not to upset me, and we often sent messages. The denouement came unexpectedly. Marfa Petrovna accidentally overheard her husband begging Dounia in the garden, and, misunderstanding everything, blamed her for everything, thinking that she was the cause of everything. A terrible scene happened right there in their garden: Marfa Petrovna even hit Dunya, didn’t want to listen to anything, and she screamed for a whole hour and finally ordered Dunya to be immediately taken to me in the city, on a simple peasant cart, into which they all threw her things, linen, dresses, everything as it happened, untied and unpacked. And then a torrential rain arose, and Dunya, insulted and disgraced, had to travel seventeen miles with the man in an uncovered cart. Think now what could I write to you in a letter in response to yours, which I received two months ago, and what should I write about? I myself was in despair; I didn’t dare write you the truth, because you would be very unhappy, upset and outraged, and what could you do? Perhaps he could also ruin himself, and Dunechka forbade it; but I couldn’t fill the letter with trifles and about anything, while there was such grief in my soul. For a whole month we had gossip all over the city about this story, and it got so bad that we couldn’t even go to church with Dunya because of the contemptuous looks and whispers, and there were even conversations out loud in front of us. All our acquaintances distanced themselves from us, everyone stopped even bowing, and I probably found out that the merchant clerks and some clerks wanted to inflict a low insult on us by smearing the gates of our house with tar, so the owners began to demand that we move out of the apartment. The reason for all this was Marfa Petrovna, who managed to accuse and pollute Dunya in all the houses. She knows everyone and has been coming to town every minute this month, and since she is a little talkative and likes to talk about her family affairs and, especially, complain about her husband to everyone, which is very bad, she spread the whole story, in a short time, not only in the city, but also throughout the county. I got sick, but Dunechka was tougher than me, and if you had seen how she endured everything and how she consoled and encouraged me! She's an angel! But, by the mercy of God, our torment was shortened: Mr. Svidrigailov came to his senses and repented and, probably taking pity on Dunya, presented Marfa Petrovna with complete and obvious evidence of all Dunya’s innocence, namely: a letter that Dunya had written even before Marfa Petrovna found them in the garden, she was forced to write and give it to him in order to reject the personal explanations and secret meetings on which he insisted, and which, after Dunechka’s departure, remained in the hands of Mr. Svidrigailov. In this letter, she most ardently and with complete indignation reproached him precisely for the ignobility of his behavior towards Marfa Petrovna, made it clear to him that he was a father and a family man and that, finally, how vile it was for him to torment and make someone already unhappy unhappy and defenseless girl. In a word, dear Rodya, this letter is written so nobly and touchingly that I cried while reading it, and to this day I cannot read it without tears. In addition, to justify Dunya, evidence finally appeared from servants who saw and knew much more than Mr. Svidrigailov himself assumed, as is always the case. Marfa Petrovna was completely amazed and “killed again,” as she herself confessed to us, but she was completely convinced of Dunechkina’s innocence and the next day, Sunday, arriving straight at the cathedral, on her knees and with tears she begged the mistress to give her the strength to endure this a new test and fulfill your duty. Then, straight from the cathedral, without visiting anyone, she came to us, told us everything, cried bitterly and, in complete repentance, hugged and begged Dunya to forgive her. That same morning, without any hesitation, straight from us, she went to all the houses in the city and everywhere, in the most flattering expressions for Dunya, shedding tears, she restored her innocence and the nobility of her feelings and behavior. Moreover, she showed and read aloud to everyone Dunechkino’s handwritten letter to Mr. Svidrigailov and even allowed them to make copies of it (which, it seems to me, is unnecessary). Thus, she had to visit everyone in the city for several days in a row, since some began to be offended that others were given preference, and thus queues started, so that in every house they were already waiting in advance and everyone knew that on such and such a day Marfa Petrovna this letter would be read there, and for each reading, even those who had already listened to the letter several times, both in their homes and at other acquaintances’, gathered in turn. My opinion is that much, very much, was unnecessary here; but Marfa Petrovna is already of this character. At least she completely restored Dounia’s honor, and the whole vileness of this matter fell as an indelible shame on her husband, as the main culprit, so I even feel sorry for him; They've already dealt too harshly with this madman. Dunya immediately began to be invited to give lessons in some houses, but she refused. In general, everyone suddenly began to treat her with special respect. All this contributed mainly to that unexpected event through which, one might say, our whole destiny is now changing. Find out, dear Rodya, that a groom has wooed Duna and that she has already given her consent, which I hasten to notify you of as soon as possible. And although this matter was done without your advice, you probably will not make a complaint against me or your sister, since you will see for yourself from the matter that it would be impossible for us to wait and put off until we receive your answer. And you yourself could not discuss everything exactly in absentia. This is what happened. He is already a court councilor, Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin, and a distant relative of Marfa Petrovna, who contributed a lot to this. He began by expressing a desire to get to know us through her, was properly received, drank coffee, and the next day sent a letter in which he very politely explained his proposal and asked for a quick and decisive response. He is a businesslike and busy man, and is now in a hurry to St. Petersburg, so he values every minute. Of course, at first we were very surprised, since it all happened too quickly and unexpectedly. We thought and thought together all that day. He is a reliable and wealthy man, he serves in two places and already has his own capital. True, he is already forty-five years old, but he is quite pleasant-looking and can still please women, and in general he is a very respectable and decent person, just a little gloomy and seemingly arrogant. But this may only be what it seems at first glance. And I warn you, dear Rodya, when you see him in St. Petersburg, which will happen very soon, do not judge too quickly and ardently, as is typical for you, if at first glance something in him does not seem to you. I’m saying this just in case, although I’m sure he’ll make a pleasant impression on you. And besides, in order to identify any person, you need to treat him gradually and carefully, so as not to fall into error and prejudice, which are very difficult to correct and make amends for later. And Pyotr Petrovich, at least in many ways, is a very respectable man. On his first visit, he told us that he was a positive person, but in many ways shared, as he himself put it, “the convictions of our newest generations” and was an enemy of all prejudices. He also said a lot, because he is somewhat vain and really loves to be listened to, but this is almost not a vice. I, of course, didn’t understand much, but Dunya explained to me that although he had little education, he was smart and, it seemed, kind. You know the character of your sister, Rodya. This girl is firm, prudent, patient and generous, although with a passionate heart, which I learned well in her. Of course, there is no special love here on her part or on his part, but Dunya, in addition to being a smart girl, is at the same time a noble creature, like an angel, and as a duty she will set herself to create the happiness of her husband, who in turn would become to take care of her happiness, and in the latter we have, for now, no great reason to doubt, although, admittedly, the matter was quickly done. In addition, he is a very calculating person and, of course, he will see for himself that his own marital happiness will be all the more certain the happier Dunechka is for him. And that there are some unevenness in character, some old habits and even some disagreement in thoughts (which cannot be avoided even in the happiest marriages), then on this score Dunechka herself told me that she hopes for herself; that there is nothing to worry about and that she can endure a lot, provided that further relations are honest and fair. He, for example, seemed to me at first to be somewhat harsh; but this can happen precisely because he is a straightforward person, and certainly so. For example, on the second visit, having already received consent, in a conversation he expressed that before, without knowing Dunya, he had decided to take an honest girl, but without a dowry, and certainly one who had already experienced a difficult situation; because, as he explained, a husband should not owe anything to his wife, but it is much better if the wife considers her husband to be her benefactor. I add that he expressed himself somewhat softer and more affectionately than I wrote, because I forgot the real expression, but remember only one thought, and, besides, he said this not at all intentionally, but, obviously, having let it slip, in the heat of conversation, so that he even tried to get better and soften it later; but I still thought it was a little harsh, and I told Duna about it. But Dunya even answered me with annoyance that “words are not action,” and this, of course, is fair. Before making up her mind, Dunechka did not sleep all night and, believing that I was already asleep, got out of bed and walked back and forth around the room all night; Finally she knelt down and prayed long and fervently before the icon, and the next morning she told me that she had made up her mind.
I have already mentioned that Pyotr Petrovich is now leaving for St. Petersburg. He has big business there, and he wants to open a public law office in St. Petersburg. He has been involved in various claims and litigation for a long time, and recently he just won one significant lawsuit. He needs to go to St. Petersburg because he has one significant matter in the Senate there. Thus, dear Rodya, he can be very useful to you, even in everything, and Dunya and I have already decided that you, even from this very day, could definitely begin your future career and consider your fate already clearly determined. Oh, if only this could come true! This would be such a benefit that we must consider it nothing other than the direct mercy of the Almighty to us. Dunya only dreams about this. We have already risked saying a few words to Pyotr Petrovich on this matter. He expressed himself cautiously and said that, of course, since he couldn’t do without a secretary, then, of course, it was better to pay a salary to a relative than to a stranger, if only he turned out to be capable of the position (if only you weren’t capable!), but he immediately expressed doubt that your university studies would not leave you time to study in his office. This time the matter ended with that, but Dunya now doesn’t think about anything other than this. Now, for several days now, she’s just been in some kind of heat and has drawn up a whole project about how later you can be a comrade and even a companion of Pyotr Petrovich in his litigation studies, especially since you yourself are at the Faculty of Law. I, Rodya, completely agree with her and share all her plans and hopes, seeing complete probability in them; and, despite the current, very understandable, evasiveness of Pyotr Petrovich (because he doesn’t know you yet), Dunya is firmly convinced that she will achieve everything with her good influence on her future husband, and of this she is confident. Of course, we were careful not to let Pyotr Petrovich know about any of these further dreams of ours and, most importantly, that you would be his companion. He is a positive person and, perhaps, would have accepted it very dryly, since all this would have seemed to him just dreams. Likewise, neither I nor Dunya have yet spoken a word to him about our strong hope that he will help us help you with money while you are at the university; That’s why they didn’t say that, firstly, this would happen on its own later, and he, probably, without further ado, would offer it himself (if only he would have refused Dounia this), all the more quickly since you yourself can become his right hand hand around the office and receive this help not in the form of a benefit, but in the form of a salary you deserve. This is how Dunechka wants to arrange it, and I completely agree with her. Secondly, that’s why they didn’t say that I especially wanted to put you on an even footing with him at our upcoming meeting. When Dunya spoke to him about you with delight, he replied that every person must first be examined for himself and more closely in order to judge him, and that he himself imagines, having met you, to form his own opinion about you. You know what, my priceless Rodya, it seems to me, for some reasons (however, not at all related to Pyotr Petrovich, but for some of my own, personal, perhaps even an old woman’s, woman’s whims) - it seems to me that I , maybe I’ll do better if I live separately after their marriage, as I live now, and not with them. I am quite sure that he will be so noble and considerate that he will invite me and invite me not to be separated from my daughter anymore, and if he has not said so far, then, of course, because even without words it is assumed so; but I will refuse. I have noticed more than once in my life that mothers-in-law are not very after their husbands’ hearts, and not only do I not want to be the slightest burden to anyone, but I myself want to be completely free, as long as I have at least some kind of my own. a piece and children like you and Dunechka. If possible, I will settle down next to both of you, because, Rodya, I saved the most pleasant thing for the end of the letter: know, my dear friend, that perhaps very soon we will all get together again and hug all three of us after almost three years separation! It’s probably already been decided that Dunya and I are leaving for St. Petersburg, I don’t know when exactly, but, in any case, very, very soon, even maybe in a week. Everything depends on the orders of Pyotr Petrovich, who, as soon as he looks around St. Petersburg, will immediately let us know. He wants, according to some calculations, to hurry up the marriage ceremony and even, if possible, to have a wedding in the current meat-eater, and if it doesn’t work out, due to the shortness of the time, then immediately after the mistresses. Oh, with what happiness I will press you to my heart! Dunya is all excited with the joy of meeting you, and once said, as a joke, that from this alone she would marry Pyotr Petrovich. She's an angel! Now she doesn’t attribute anything to you, but only told me to write that she needs to talk to you so much, so much that now her hand doesn’t even rise to take up the pen, because you can’t write anything in a few lines, but you’ll only upset yourself ; She told me to hug you tighter and send you countless kisses. But, despite the fact that we may very soon meet in person, I will still send you as much money as I can one of these days. Now, as everyone has learned that Dunechka is marrying Pyotr Petrovich, and my credit has suddenly increased, and I probably know that Afanasy Ivanovich will trust me now, on account of the pension, even up to seventy-five rubles, so I’ll give you, maybe, rubles I’ll send twenty-five or even thirty. I would send more, but I’m afraid for our travel expenses; and although Pyotr Petrovich was so kind that he took on part of the costs of our travel to the capital, namely, he himself volunteered, at his own expense, to deliver our luggage and a large chest (somehow he had it there through friends), but still... Still, we need to count on coming to St. Petersburg, where we can’t appear penniless, even for the first few days. We, however, had already calculated everything with Dounia to precision, and it turned out that the road would take a bit. The railway is only ninety miles from us, and we have already, just in case, made an agreement with one peasant cab driver we know; and there Dunechka and I will have a safe ride in third class. So, maybe I’ll manage to send you not twenty-five, but probably thirty rubles. But enough; I wrote two sheets of paper all around, and there’s no more room left; our whole history; Well, yes, so many incidents have accumulated! And now, my priceless Rodya, I hug you until our close meeting and bless you with my maternal blessing. Love Dunya, your sister, Rodya; love the way she loves you, and know that she loves you infinitely, more than herself. She is an angel, and you, Rodya, you are everything to us - all our hope and all our hope. If only you were happy, we would be happy. Do you still pray to God, Rodya, and do you believe in the goodness of our Creator and Redeemer? I'm afraid in my heart that the latest fashionable irreligion has visited you? If so, then I am praying for you. Remember, dear, how even in your childhood, during your father’s life, you babbled your prayers on my lap and how happy we all were then! Farewell, or better yet, goodbye! I hug you tightly and kiss you countlessly.
Yours to the grave
Pulcheria Raskolnikov.
Almost the entire time Raskolnikov read, from the very beginning of the letter, his face was wet with tears; but when he finished, it was pale, twisted with a spasm, and a heavy, bilious, evil smile snaked across his lips. He lay his head down on his skinny and worn-out pillow and thought, thought for a long time. His heart beat strongly, and his thoughts were greatly agitated. Finally he felt stuffy and cramped in this yellow closet that looked like a closet or a chest. The gaze and thought asked for space. He grabbed his hat and went out, this time no longer afraid of meeting anyone on the stairs; he forgot about it. He took the path in the direction of Vasilievsky Island through V-Prospekt, as if he was hurrying there to do something, but, as usual, he walked without noticing the road, whispering to himself and even talking out loud to himself, which greatly surprised passers-by. Many took him for a drunk.
And literature MAOU Lyceum No. 8 of Tomsk
The Swiss philosopher Henri Aligel, not without reason, believed that landscape in art represents, first of all, the state of the artist’s soul. There are works, sometimes not even the most ambitious in the heritage of this or that classic, in which, however, many of the ideological and creative features of the writer are revealed, his favorite thoughts are heard, his perception of the circumstances and heroes in them.
I. S. Turgenev was convinced that man is connected with nature “by a thousand inextricable threads: he is her son.” He would later say this in a review of “Notes of a Gun Hunter” by S. T. Aksakov, but this conviction arises at the very beginning of his poetic activity - he associated familiarization with the life of nature with the desire for mental balance. The writer advocated for “real, warm and living descriptions”, in which the smallest shades of the landscape would be subordinate to the general tone of the image, therefore Turgenev is attracted by balanced, peaceful, meek nature, and not by its spontaneous, chaotic manifestations, but how much hidden drama his landscape sketches contain - a means of revealing the character's character. The story “Asya” has become a work in which “the story of the human soul,” a love story, is given through the prism of landscape. Being part of the plot structure, the landscape plays an important role here in describing the circumstances occurring in the story, in addition, as in poetry, it helps to understand the inner world of Asya and Mr. N.N., performs the function of psychological parallelism, and it is through the description of the landscape that Turgenev will convey the mental and emotional state of the main characters.
If for F. M. Dostoevsky the landscape is the background against which events unfold, an additional means for a more expressive depiction of the characters, then for Turgenev it is, along with Asya and Mr. N. N., one of the heroes of the story, another “I” the author, helping to understand and characterize the inner world, the development of the soul, the character of the character. The writer rightly noted: “... everywhere you see the author instead of nature; and a person is only strong when he relies on it.” This remark of Turgenev, an artist, is fundamental: do not replace nature with yourself, do not liken it to yourself, but rely on it in the search and acquisition of creative powers.
In “Ace,” a kind of view of nature is formed that would be “in accordance with its true meaning,” and for this it is necessary to “separate from oneself and think about the phenomena of nature.” Of course, “live observation of nature” is the most difficult way to comprehend its laws and the only possible way for an artist to speak.
At the beginning of the story, Mr. N.N. separates the world of nature from the world of people, for him the variety of faces is much clearer: “... living faces, human faces - people’s speech, their movements, laughter - that’s what I couldn’t do without,” but here is nature is incomprehensible to him, and he cannot respond to its beauty or mystery, cannot be harmonious with it. It is also noteworthy that the hero does not perceive the surrounding beauty of nature as a single whole, he does not see himself in it - this is an eloquent characteristic of the inner content of Mr. N.N., he is clearly not a romantic; rather, the pragmatic and rational are closer to him.
Despite the modesty and unpretentiousness of the Rhineland landscape, it is majestic and mysterious precisely in its simplicity, although in Turgenev’s interpretation of nature there are many echoes of the people’s understanding of its elemental forces, in which there is “nothing clever or sophisticated.” So far, only the moon alone illuminates both the city and Mr. N.N. It is its light in the night sky that is reflected in the calm waters of the Rhine. Not being part of the natural world, the main character, nevertheless, loves to look at the great river, and in the future, all the vicissitudes of his fate and love will be reflected in the water surface. It is no coincidence that the mention of a paper boat that local children launch on a long voyage is mentioned. This is a symbol of the love of Mr. N.N. and Asya, about which nothing has been said yet, but the premonition of something huge and real is already hovering very close.
The next morning of the young narrator, dominated by a sea of sunlight, noisy merchants in the garden and on the streets of the town, filled with the cheerful noise of people, “the innocent flirtation of youth” - all this prepares the appearance of the one whose name the story is named.
Anna - Asya - “blessed”, “gift of God”, “born again” - the meaning of the names is not accidental. In the future, the author will call the always pretty and graceful Anna Asya, perhaps her new birth will soon, but which one: happy or... The meaning of titles and names in Turgenev is always significant. Mr. N.N., who does not like Russians abroad, meets and becomes close with Russians: “We live outside the city,” Gagin continued, “in a vineyard, in a lonely house, high up. It’s great here, look.” The leitmotif of the vineyard, which first appears in this context, and then the narrow, steep path accompanying it is the personification of remoteness from everyone, loneliness, and the life trials of the main character, which will soon affect Mr. N.N. Subsequently, this leitmotif will become the main one and will run through the entire narrative.
The picturesque contrast of “scarlet thin light on a green vine” visibly highlights the still “cold” heart of the young narrator and the violent, lively, spontaneous in her wildness Asya, who received the external attributes of a noblewoman (a silk dress, living in a manor’s house, ostentatious respect from servants). However, if we talk about the psychology of the development of her soul, then the girl was not deprived here. The world of natural forces and her feelings and emotions will always be in close contact. Seeking, open to everything sincere, Asya will find a response in the entire world around her: “The Rhine lay before us all silver, between the green banks; in one place it glowed with the crimson gold of sunset. (...) It was good below, but even better above: I was especially struck by the purity and depth of the sky, the radiant transparency of the air. Fresh and light, it rolled in waves..." N. seems to be rediscovering everything around him, but "transparency", radiance, purity and depth are already in Asa, in her future feeling, and the rolling waves are the mobility and variability of the restless The heroines are those characteristic traits of nature that at first will be a mystery to the young storyteller, and the solution will be very simple.
Once again the light of the moon, illuminating both the Rhine and the young people, and the path of life, which will not be easy for both, a light that is prophetic in the fate of Asya: “I jumped into the boat and said goodbye to my new friends. Gagin promised to visit me the next day; I shook his hand and extended mine to Asya; but she just looked at me and shook her head. The boat set sail and rushed along the fast river. The carrier, a cheerful old man, tensely plunged his oars into the dark water.
You drove into the moon pillar, you broke it! – Asya shouted to me.”
This interesting and well-known metaphor, speaking of a future tragedy, of a broken life and love, is the beginning of that “golden bridge across the entire river”, which will open the soul and heart of Mr. N.N. to “fragrant air”, “freshness of dew”, “ songs of larks,” for everything that he had not noticed before. The hero's crossing of the river is a warning from the author, endowed with rich life experience; Mr. N.N. himself, due to his age, still does not understand everything. Nature, living in unison with Asya, will now smoothly invade the life of the young storyteller; moreover, their commonality will be realized at the author’s level, in that layer of narration that equally belongs to both the storyteller and the author.
Wild apple tree, nettle, acacia - this is the world surrounding Asya, understandable to her, of which she is a part; The symbol of love is also indicative - a branch of geranium thrown from the window, as if taking us back to knightly times; a bright, juicy power of feeling that will literally dry up over time, but will remain a bitter reminder of that love that occurs “once in a thousand years.” The author's view turns out to be much deeper; the hero-storyteller will come to understand the metaphorical side of events only towards the end of the story. It was this love that stirred the soul of Mr. N.N., and he suddenly felt the “steppe smell of his homeland”, saw a “hemp bed” - and immediately a storm of emotions and thoughts arose in this hitherto very balanced person: “Its steppe smell instantly reminded me of my homeland and aroused in my soul a passionate longing for her. I wanted to breathe Russian air, walk on Russian soil.” And immediately a rhetorical question arises: “What am I doing here, why am I wandering around in a strange place, among strangers?” - the answer to it is clear to us thanks to Asya, in addition, this is the starting point of his love for the heroine. But these are the thoughts of I. S. Turgenev himself. The time of creation of the story is 1857, the reform of 1861 is being prepared, a time of difficult disputes, opinions, and anxieties. The writer cannot stand aside and introduces into the story the biography of Asya, the daughter of a serf, and all this against the backdrop of a magnificent river, air saturated with moonlight, the sounds of a waltz, and love. The story is filled with psychological details that are precise and brief in form, but contain deep characteristics of the characters, and therefore for the author there is the possibility of such a narrative about them, which N. G. Chernyshevsky will call “secret psychology”; it is also noteworthy that the best landscapes of the story are connected with the emotional experiences and movements of the characters, filled with their inner life: “The mood of my thoughts matched the calm nature of that region” or “In the distance a steamboat was running along the Rhine. We started looking at him. (...) “Go somewhere far away, to pray, to perform a difficult feat,” she continued. “And then the days go by, life goes away, and what have we done?” We will see the continuation of these thoughts in I. A. Bunin in “Clean Monday”.
The tenth chapter is a kind of Rubicon for the young narrator, he is open to love, he desires its appearance, and this feeling of “comprehensive desires” is again emphasized by the calm waters of the Rhine, the starry sky, the “whisper of the wind”, and the hero watches the river, and is already floating in boat downstream, floating towards something long-awaited and, probably, tragic: “... anxiety grew within me.”
The connection between the laws of balance in nature and the laws of balance in a work is amazing. Just as nature has its twists, kinks, surprises, its “suddenly”, so they also exist in the story: the crossing of the Rhine, and the first and last love date ended traditionally - Mr. N.N. considered marrying a seventeen-year-old girl, “with her disposition”, stupidity, and “getting married at such a time” (meaning late evening) is a direct violation of secular conventions; "We have to wait until the next day." But the next day did not become the day of happiness that the nightingale seemed to be singing about the day before. Now the loving Mr. N.N. lost his love forever, having discovered a simple truth: “Happiness has no tomorrow; he has no yesterday; it does not remember the past, does not think about the future; he has a present - and that’s not a day, but a moment.”
Immediately after its publication, the story became the center of attention of critics. N.G. Chernyshevsky ranked N.N. among the “superfluous people,” accusing him of moral and social failure; P.A. Annenkov, on the contrary, saw in such a “weak person” the bearer of the foundations of morality and humanity. However, both critics noticed in Turgenev’s hero some human incompleteness, weakness, lack of will, which did not allow him to retain love and become happy.
The undertaken analysis of the story, considering the role of the landscape in revealing the character of the hero, allows us to deeply understand the structure, and through it the meaning of the work. Our modern attitude towards nature is complemented by the experience of complex reflections and creative insights of I. S. Turgenev, one of the first to penetrate the dialectics of tragedy and harmony of the relationships between man and nature.
Literature:
S. “Asya”, Moscow, “Children’s Literature” 1980. I. “Garnet Bracelet”, Novosibirsk, “West Siberian Book Publishing House”, 1985. G. “Russian man at rendez-vouz. Reflections on reading Turgenev's story "Asya". "Athenaeus" 1858.
V. “On the literary type of a weak person (Regarding the story of Mr. Turgenev “Asya.” “Athenaeum” 1858.
Left a reply Guest
I. S. Turgenev’s story “Asya” is sometimes called an elegy of unfulfilled, missed, but so close happiness. The plot of the work is simple, because the author is not interested in external events, but in the spiritual world of the characters, each of which has its own secret.
In revealing the depths of the spiritual state of a loving person, Turgenev is also helped by the landscape, which in the story becomes the “landscape of the soul.”
Here we have the first picture of nature, introducing us to the scene of action, a German town on the banks of the Rhine, given through the perception of the protagonist. About a young man who loves walks, especially at night and in the evening, peering into the clear sky with a motionless moon shedding a serene and exciting light, observing the slightest changes in the world around him, one can say: a romantic, with deep, sublime feelings.
This is further confirmed by the fact that he immediately felt sympathy for his new acquaintances, the Gagins, although before that he did not like meeting Russians abroad. The spiritual closeness of these young people is also revealed with the help of the landscape: the Gagins’ home was located in a wonderful place, which Asya especially liked.
The girl immediately attracts the narrator's attention, her presence seems to illuminate everything around: ? “fiery”, then clear and scarlet; the wine “glimmered with a mysterious brilliance,” the illuminated trees have a “festive and fantastic appearance,” and, finally, a “moon pillar” across the river, which the hero breaks.
“You drove into the moon pillar, you broke it,” Asya bellowed to me. This detail in Turgenev becomes a symbol, because the broken moon pillar can be compared with Asya’s broken life, the girl’s broken dreams of a hero, love, and flight.
Continuing acquaintance with the Ganins sharpened the narrator’s feelings: he is attracted to the girl, he finds her strange, incomprehensible and surprising. The jealous suspicion that the Gagins are not brother and sister forces the hero to seek peace in nature: “The mood of my thoughts was just in line with the calm nature of that region. I gave myself entirely to the quiet play of chance, the rushing impressions...” What follows is a description of what the young man saw during these three days: “a modest corner of German soil, with simplicity and contentment, with ubiquitous traces of applied hands, patient, although unhurried work...”. But the most important thing here is the remark that the hero “gave himself entirely to the quiet game of chance...”. This phrase explains the contemplative nature of the narrator, his habit of not mentally straining himself, but of going with the flow, as is depicted in Chapter X, where the hero is actually sailing home in a boat, returning after a conversation that excited him with Asya, who opened her soul to him.
It is at this moment of merging with nature that a new leap is made in the hero’s inner world: what was vague, anxious, suddenly turns into an undoubted and passionate thirst for happiness, which is associated with Asya’s personality. But the hero prefers to mindlessly surrender to the oncoming impressions: “I’m not only talking about the future, I didn’t think about tomorrow, I felt very good.” Everything further happens rapidly: Asya’s excitement, her awareness of the futility of her love for the young aristocrat (“my wings have grown, but there is nowhere to fly”), a difficult conversation with Gagin, a dramatic meeting of the heroes that showed the complete “winglessness” of the narrator, Asya’s hasty flight, sudden departure brother and sister.