Fathers and Sons

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

47935

Title

Fathers and Sons

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Turgenev's masterly novel contrasts the revolutionary nihilism of Bazarov with the traditional values of the older generation. Set against the backdrop of post-serfdom Russia, this unromantic yet deeply human story explores the inevitable clash between age and youth, offering a profound critique of social upheaval and the enduring complexities of human nature.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1859, Ivan Turgenev's *Fathers and Sons* serves as a profound exploration of the generational divide tearing through Russian society. The narrative centers on Nikolai Petrovitch Kirsanov, a retired aristocrat who awaits the return of his son, Arkady, from the University of St. Petersburg. Arkady has been profoundly influenced by Evgenii Vasilitch Bazarov, a radical nihilist who arrives at the Kirsanov estate with a philosophy that aggressively rejects tradition, art, and emotion in favor of cold scientific rationality. Bazarov's presence disrupts the tranquil domestic life of the family, creating tension between the old order and the new revolutionary spirit. Bazarov's character is defined by his self-proclaimed status as a 'man of science' who dismisses the sentimentalism of the aristocracy. However, his stoic exterior cracks when he encounters the Princess Odintsov. Despite his professed disdain for women and romantic ideals, he develops an intense, destructive passion for her. This emotional vulnerability leads to his sudden and tragic death, leaving a void in the household and challenging the nihilist belief in the invulnerability of the rational mind. His passing forces a confrontation with the complexity of human nature that his ideology could not account for. Six months later, the novel shifts to a somber winter scene where the Kirsanov family has settled into new domestic arrangements following the death of the Princess and the marriage of Arkady to Katia. Nikolai Petrovitch continues his efforts to reconcile with the peasantry, though he finds himself alienated by both the educated gentry and the uneducated landowners, deemed too 'mild' by all sides. Meanwhile, Bazarov's parents mourn their lost son in a remote cemetery, their grief underscoring the human cost of ideological fervor. Turgenev presents the story as a tragi-comedy, examining the inevitable clash between the conserving fathers and the revolutionary sons. Through the fates of his characters, the author illustrates the failure of radical ideologies to fully grasp human complexity and the quiet resilience of the old order amidst the ferment of a changing society. The novel stands as a historical document of the era following the emancipation of the serfs, capturing the anxieties and hopes of a nation on the brink of transformation.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Philosophy
• Fiction
• Russia