Essay on the topic: Democrat Bazarov and liberals Kirsanovs

Essay on the topic: Democrat Bazarov and liberals Kirsanovs

Composition. Democrat Bazarov and liberal Kirsanov

On a bright sunny day on the twentieth of May, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, a carriage pulled up to an inn on the highway, from which two young men got out. As we learn later, this is Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov and his friend Arkady Kirsanov. However, it is worth thinking about why the author already at the beginning of the work names the exact date of the events taking place. Let us move mentally to the era of the late fifties of the nineteenth century. “But this is the time before the abolition of serfdom,” you say. Indeed, during these years the crisis of the serfdom system was revealed, but at the same time an event no less important for Russia took place - the emergence into the arena of the struggle for the liberation of the people of a new type of public figure - a revolutionary democrat. Moreover, this birth took place in the most acute struggle with moribund liberalism. What are liberalism and democracy? Liberalism arose as a progressive movement and meant love for the people, protest against everything dark and oppressive, respect for art and science. But over time, this movement lost its initial principles and compromised with the reaction. Its essence was the defense of the privileges of the ruling class and at the same time the fight against ugly forms of exploitation, but only through reforms: after all, liberalism was an opponent of the movement of the masses. N.G. Chernyshevsky called the liberals “chatterboxes, braggarts and fools.” And at the same time, in the continuous struggle against liberalism, the process of formation of revolutionary democracy takes place, which consistently and truly fought for the true interests of the people. I. S. Turgenev, who has an exceptional gift for guessing an emerging phenomenon, expressed in his novel “Fathers and Sons” the ideological disputes of liberals and democrats, artistically embodied in the images of gentlemen Kirsanov and commoner Bazarov. Let's get to know the heroes better. The image of Evgeny Bazarov concentrates the smallest grains of properties inherent in the younger generation. The hard, poor, working life in his youth accustomed him to deprivation, developed contempt for comfort and grace, and made him strong and harsh. The author calls him “a democrat through and through.” Work, creative activity, life that brings real benefit—this is Bazarov’s ideal. Years of hard work made him an educated man. His main subject is natural sciences. “Yes, he knows everything” - these words of Arkady perfectly characterize Evgeniy’s outlook. A deep study of the natural sciences made him a materialist; experience became for him the only source of knowledge. The materialistic worldview gave rise to Bazarov’s nihilism, that is, the denial of outdated authorities, principles of life, and an attitude towards everything from a critical point of view. This negation had a revolutionary meaning, which consisted of an uncompromising fight against the nobility, a decisive break with liberalism, and contempt for phrase-mongering. “And if he is called a nihilist, then it should be read: revolutionary,” noted Turgenev. And this advanced, thinking revolutionary-democrat ends up in the nest of the Kirsanov liberals. In the person of Nikolai Petrovich, the writer showed the features of a moderate-liberal nobility, striving for various transformations and not rejecting the possibility of compromise with the democrats. Nikolai Petrovich is a gentle, sensitive, humane person who loves art and feels the beauty of nature. He sees his calling in economic activity, carrying out transformations on the estate, and improving the lives of peasants. How he strives to adapt to the new time, to keep up with life! “It seems that I’m doing everything to keep up with the times: I organized peasants, started a farm, I study, and in general I try to catch up with modern requirements,” he says annoyed. But, despite his hard work and zeal, all his undertakings end in failure, “and the farm, recently established in a new way, creaked like an unoiled wheel, cracked like homemade furniture from old wood,” and the entire estate had a pitiful appearance. Once he became a peace advisor, he “worked as hard as he could.” What is his tireless work? Yes, that Nikolai Petrovich “constantly drives around his area” and “makes long speeches.” Here it is, Russian liberalism with its flabbiness and impotence! The elder Kirsanov, Pavel Petrovich, in contrast to Bazarov, can be called “an aristocrat to the end of his nails.” Aristocratism and Anglomanism are one of the principles of this man, without which he cannot imagine his existence. In appearance (neatly shaved chin, beautiful nails, beautiful white teeth), in clothes (starched collars, elegant suit) and in behavior (pleasant voice, slight tilt of the head, refusal to shake hands with Bazarov) one can feel the desire to flaunt his aristocracy. In his youth, Kirsanov shone in the world, a brilliant career awaited him, but unhappy love broke the socialite, and his life became empty. He did not want to find a job and, having lived to his gray hairs without a goal or business, he came to his brother in the village, where, surrounding himself with elegant comfort for the English taste, he turned his life into a calm vegetation. The calm, measured existence of the Kirsanov gentlemen is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Yevgeny Bazarov, whose democracy from the very first meeting alienates the aristocrat Pavel Petrovich. Everything about him: from the “long robe with tassels”, the “red hand” to the self-confident, independent attitude - arouses Kirsanov’s dislike, which soon develops into open hatred. The characters' different views on life inevitably lead to a clash between the two camps. “Everything gave rise to disputes between them”: the path of development of the country, and the purpose of man, and the attitude towards the people, and questions about materialism and idealism, science, art, nature. One of Pavel Petrovich’s principles is the preaching of political freedoms, progress, constitution, openness. “Everyone knows me as a liberal person who loves progress,” he says about himself. But this half-heartedness, cowardice of the goals of liberalism, of course, is in conflict with the views of democracy. Bazarov denies all “decrees adopted in human life,” that is, the entire system of social order in the name of utility. “We act on what we think is useful.” “Building is not our business. First you need to clear the place,” says Bazarov, expressing his innermost thoughts with these words. The revolutionary thinking of Bazarov, the courage of his views - all this leaves a special imprint on his personality. This is precisely what angers Pavel Petrovich the most, it hits him most painfully on his “self-esteem.” The doctor's son represents the force that threatens the aristocratic class. Perhaps Pavel Petrovich would really like to humiliate Bazarov, to present him as a rude, uncouth lout. Bazarov is not so petty as to turn his indignation against an insignificant “district aristocrat.” He has a more serious opponent - the autocratic-landlord system. The duel will decide which of them is the bearer of true nobility and a true sense of honor. Turgenev left Pavel Petrovich to answer this question himself. And Pavel Petrovich felt morally defeated. The common democracy was taking a decisive step towards the revolutionary overthrow of the exploitative system. That is why people like Bazarov will never disappear from the face of the earth, they will be an eternal part of life. They “want to fight,” and without their rebellion the birth of something new is impossible.

“Bazarov is a revolutionary democrat”

Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons” was written two years after the novel “On the Eve”, about which the critic N. Dobrolyubov wrote: “The old social routine is becoming obsolete... and a complete, sharply and vividly outlined image of the Russian Insarov will appear in literature. And we won’t have to wait long for him...” The image of Bazarov in the novel “Fathers and Sons” was the answer to the question: what are they like, the “new people” of the new era. Explaining the true meaning of his work, Turgenev wrote: “This is the triumph of democracy over aristocracy.” Noting the main feature of his hero, Turgenev argued that Bazarov is “a democrat to the core.” Evgeny Bazarov's democracy is clearly reflected in his biography, portrait, speech, activities, worldview. The author does not give a detailed biography of Bazarov, but the reader knows that his grandfather was a rural sexton and “plowed the land himself,” that his father was a doctor, that Bazarov himself studied at the Medical-Surgical Academy, without taking “a penny” from his parents for his education. He owes his knowledge to himself and rightfully says about it: “Every person must educate himself.”

When Bazarov appears in Maryino, his appearance immediately shocks Pavel Petrovich, who saw in him a person not from his circle and therefore “did not shake hands.” Bazarov is careless in his clothes, his hands are bare and red, his manners are simple. But in the author’s words that Bazarov’s face “was enlivened by a calm smile and expressed self-confidence and intelligence,” we see sympathy. Bazarov’s manner of speaking, arguing, answering characterizes him precisely as a person of the democratic camp, his speech is simple and laconic, it contains many popular expressions, proverbs, sayings (“not all the crap came out of him,” “Moscow burned down with a penny candle”). Not tolerating empty and idle talk, Bazarov speaks clearly and condenses his thoughts to the limit, often with aphorisms (“Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it”).

A characteristic feature of the commoner democrat Bazarov is his love of work. And although it was difficult for the author to show Bazarov’s activities in detail, he emphasizes his hard work throughout the entire action of the novel: “Arkady was a sybaritist, Bazarov worked”; “I want to work, but I can’t do it here” (about my parents’ house); “The fever of work came over him.” Bazarov is passionate about natural sciences, which was a distinctive feature of the 60s of the 19th century; he is well versed in agronomy, chemistry, botany, medicine, while assessing their importance for society from advanced modern positions, as a true patriot of the Fatherland, understanding the backwardness of Russia and the need development of those areas of knowledge that will help it get out of centuries-old backwardness. In contrast to the aristocratic gentlemen, Bazarov understands that pompous and beautiful phrases cannot change anyone, it is necessary to study and work, and this is what he devotes almost all his time. Bazarov’s democracy against the background of the Kirsanov nobles is immediately felt by the ordinary people of Maryin, who see that he is “a brother, not a master”: the servants sympathize with him, the shy Fenechka quickly got used to him, “the yard boys ran after the doctor like little dogs.”

But Bazarov is not touched by this attitude of ordinary people, as it would be with the gentlemen Kirsanovs. Knowledge of folk life and frequent communication with peasants led Bazarov to a critical attitude towards the Russian village, its way of life; he mockingly and demandingly treats the people to whom he decided to devote his life, but they still cannot understand this. The Russian peasant of the 50s and 60s of the 19th century still does not know how to see that there are different masters, that among those whom he is accustomed to consider masters there are defenders of the interests of the people. Bazarov understands this and does not idealize the people. Defining the worldview of his hero, Turgenev wrote: “... if he is called a nihilist, then he must be read as a revolutionary.” Bazarov denies “everything” that is even “terrible to say” to Pavel Petrovich: autocracy, serfdom, religion, that is, the foundations on which the “ugly state of society” rests. Bazarov honestly and directly declares that his goal is to “clear the place”, since he understands that his generation is not enough for the “business”, for revolutionary transformations and building life, he must at least have time to “clear the place, and others will build” .

Bazarov’s revolutionary beliefs are based on close acquaintance with the life of the people, which is why he so easily breaks down Pavel Petrovich’s evidence about the inviolability of religion, patriarchy, and the peasant community. A revolutionary of the 60s of the 19th century, Bazarov hates the “damned barchuks”; his disputes with Pavel Petrovich are a reflection of mutual hostility. Following the truth of life, the author showed the ideological and moral victory of the revolutionary democrat Bazarov over the Kirsanovs, aristocrats and slackers, that is, in the words of Herzen, “instead of flogging the son, he flogged the fathers.” This happened because for Turgenev the main thing in creativity was: “To accurately and powerfully reproduce the truth, the reality of life... even if this truth does not coincide with his own sympathies.”