Goncharov's novel "Oblomov" was written during the period of transition Russian society from outdated, Domostroevsky traditions and values to new, educational views and ideas. This process became the most complex and difficult for representatives of the landowner social class, since it required an almost complete rejection of the usual way of life and was associated with the need to adapt to new, more dynamic and rapidly changing conditions. And if part of society easily adapted to the new circumstances, for others the process of transition turned out to be very difficult, since it was essentially opposed to the usual way of life of their parents, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. The representative of precisely such landowners, who failed to change with the world, adapting to it, in the novel is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. According to the plot of the work, the hero was born in a village far from the capital of Russia - Oblomovka, where he received a classic landowner, house-building upbringing, which formed many of the main character traits of Oblomov - weak-willedness, apathy, lack of initiative, laziness, reluctance to work and the expectation that someone will do everything for him. Excessive parental care, constant prohibitions, and the pacifying lazy atmosphere of Oblomovka led to a deformation of the character of a curious and active boy, making him introverted, prone to escapism and unable to overcome even the most minor difficulties.
The inconsistency of Oblomov’s character in the novel “Oblomov”
The negative side of Oblomov’s character
In the novel, Ilya Ilyich does not decide anything on his own, hoping for help from the outside - Zakhar, who will bring him food or clothes, Stolz, who is able to solve the problems in Oblomovka, Tarantiev, who, although he will deceive, will himself figure out the situation that interests Oblomov, etc. The hero is not interested in real life, it causes him boredom and fatigue, while he finds true peace and satisfaction in the world of illusions he himself has invented. Spending all his days lying on the sofa, Oblomov makes unrealistic plans for the arrangement of Oblomovka and his happy family life, in many ways similar to the calm, monotonous atmosphere of his childhood. All his dreams are directed to the past, even the future that he imagines for himself - echoes of a distant past that can no longer be returned.
It would seem that a lazy, lumbering hero living in an untidy apartment cannot evoke sympathy and affection from the reader, especially against the backdrop of Ilya Ilyich’s active, purposeful friend, Stolz. However, Oblomov’s true essence is revealed gradually, which allows us to see all the versatility and inner unrealized potential of the hero. Even as a child, surrounded by quiet nature, the care and control of his parents, the sensitive, dreamy Ilya was deprived of the most important thing - knowledge of the world through its opposites - beauty and ugliness, victories and defeats, the need to do something and the joy of what was gained through one’s own labor. From an early age, the hero had everything he needed - helpful servants carried out orders at the first call, and his parents spoiled their son in every possible way. Finding himself outside his parents' nest, Oblomov, not ready for the real world, continues to expect that everyone around him will treat him as warmly and welcomingly as in his native Oblomovka. However, his hopes were destroyed already in the first days in the service, where no one cared about him, and everyone was only for themselves. Deprived of the will to live, the ability to fight for his place in the sun and perseverance, Oblomov, after an accidental mistake, leaves the service himself, fearing punishment from his superiors. The very first failure becomes the last for the hero - he no longer wants to move forward, hiding from the real, “cruel” world in his dreams.
Positive side of Oblomov’s character
The person who could pull Oblomov out of this passive state leading to personality degradation was Andrei Ivanovich Stolts. Perhaps Stolz is the only character in the novel who thoroughly saw not only negative, but also positive features Oblomov: sincerity, kindness, the ability to feel and understand the problems of another person, inner peace and simplicity. It was to Ilya Ilyich that Stolz came in difficult moments, when he needed support and understanding. Oblomov’s dove-like tenderness, sensuality and sincerity are also revealed during his relationship with Olga. Ilya Ilyich is the first to realize that he is not suitable for the active, purposeful Ilyinskaya, who does not want to devote herself to “Oblomov” values - this reveals him as a subtle psychologist. Oblomov is ready to give up his own love, because he understands that he cannot give Olga the happiness she dreams of.
Oblomov’s character and fate are closely connected - his lack of will, inability to fight for his happiness, together with spiritual kindness and gentleness, lead to tragic consequences - fear of the difficulties and sorrows of reality, as well as the hero’s complete withdrawal into the pacifying, calm, wonderful world of illusions.
National character in the novel "Oblomov"
The image of Oblomov in Goncharov’s novel is a reflection of the national Russian character, its ambiguity and versatility. Ilya Ilyich is the same archetypal Emelya the fool on the stove, about whom the nanny told the hero in childhood. Like the character in the fairy tale, Oblomov believes in a miracle that should happen to him by itself: a supportive firebird or a kind sorceress will appear and take him to beautiful world honey and milk rivers. And the chosen one of the sorceress should not be bright, hard-working, active hero, but always “quiet, harmless”, “some kind of lazy person who is offended by everyone.”
Unquestioning faith in a miracle, in a fairy tale, in the possibility of the impossible - main feature not only Ilya Ilyich, but also any Russian person raised on folk tales and legends. Finding itself on fertile soil, this faith becomes the basis of a person’s life, replacing reality with illusion, as happened with Ilya Ilyich: “his fairy tale is mixed with life, and he is unconsciously sad sometimes, why is a fairy tale not life, and why is life not a fairy tale.”
At the end of the novel, Oblomov, it would seem, finds that “Oblomov” happiness that he has long dreamed of - a calm, monotonous life without stress, a caring, kind wife, an organized life and a son. However, Ilya Ilyich does not return to real world, he remains in his illusions, which become more important and meaningful for him than real happiness next to a woman who adores him. In fairy tales, the hero must pass three tests, after which he will be expected to fulfill all his desires, otherwise the hero will die. Ilya Ilyich does not pass a single test, giving in first to failure in the service, and then to the need to change for the sake of Olga. Describing Oblomov’s life, the author seems to be ironizing about the hero’s excessive faith in an unrealizable miracle for which there is no need to fight.
Conclusion
At the same time, the simplicity and complexity of Oblomov’s character, the ambiguity of the character himself, the analysis of his positive and negative sides, allow us to see in Ilya Ilyich eternal image unfulfilled personality “out of his time” - a “superfluous person” who failed to find his own place in real life, and therefore gone into the world of illusions. However, the reason for this, as Goncharov emphasizes, is not a fatal combination of circumstances or the difficult fate of the hero, but the incorrect upbringing of Oblomov, who is sensitive and gentle in character. Grown like " indoor plant", Ilya Ilyich turned out to be unadapted to a reality that was quite harsh for his refined nature, replacing it with the world of his own dreams.
Work test
Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” was written during the period of transition of Russian society from outdated, home-building traditions and values to new, educational views and ideas. This process became the most complex and difficult for representatives of the landowner social class, since it required an almost complete rejection of the usual way of life and was associated with the need to adapt to new, more dynamic and rapidly changing conditions. And if part of society easily adapted to the new circumstances, for others the process of transition turned out to be very difficult, since it was essentially opposed to the usual way of life of their parents, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. The representative of precisely such landowners, who failed to change with the world, adapting to it, in the novel is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. According to the plot of the work, the hero was born in a village far from the capital of Russia - Oblomovka, where he received a classic landowner, house-building upbringing, which formed many of the main character traits of Oblomov - weak-willedness, apathy, lack of initiative, laziness, reluctance to work and the expectation that someone will do everything for him. Excessive parental care, constant prohibitions, and the pacifying lazy atmosphere of Oblomovka led to a deformation of the character of a curious and active boy, making him introverted, prone to escapism and unable to overcome even the most minor difficulties.
The inconsistency of Oblomov’s character in the novel “Oblomov”
The negative side of Oblomov’s character
In the novel, Ilya Ilyich does not decide anything on his own, hoping for help from the outside - Zakhar, who will bring him food or clothes, Stolz, who is able to solve the problems in Oblomovka, Tarantiev, who, although he will deceive, will himself figure out the situation that interests Oblomov, etc. The hero is not interested in real life, it causes him boredom and fatigue, while he finds true peace and satisfaction in the world of illusions he himself has invented. Spending all his days lying on the sofa, Oblomov makes unrealistic plans for the arrangement of Oblomovka and his happy family life, in many ways similar to the calm, monotonous atmosphere of his childhood. All his dreams are directed to the past, even the future that he imagines for himself - echoes of a distant past that can no longer be returned.
It would seem that a lazy, lumbering hero living in an untidy apartment cannot evoke sympathy and affection from the reader, especially against the backdrop of Ilya Ilyich’s active, purposeful friend, Stolz. However, Oblomov’s true essence is revealed gradually, which allows us to see all the versatility and inner unrealized potential of the hero. Even as a child, surrounded by quiet nature, the care and control of his parents, the sensitive, dreamy Ilya was deprived of the most important thing - knowledge of the world through its opposites - beauty and ugliness, victories and defeats, the need to do something and the joy of what was gained through one’s own labor. From an early age, the hero had everything he needed - helpful servants carried out orders at the first call, and his parents spoiled their son in every possible way. Finding himself outside his parents' nest, Oblomov, not ready for the real world, continues to expect that everyone around him will treat him as warmly and welcomingly as in his native Oblomovka. However, his hopes were destroyed already in the first days in the service, where no one cared about him, and everyone was only for themselves. Deprived of the will to live, the ability to fight for his place in the sun and perseverance, Oblomov, after an accidental mistake, leaves the service himself, fearing punishment from his superiors. The very first failure becomes the last for the hero - he no longer wants to move forward, hiding from the real, “cruel” world in his dreams.
Positive side of Oblomov’s character
The person who could pull Oblomov out of this passive state leading to personality degradation was Andrei Ivanovich Stolts. Perhaps Stolz is the only character in the novel who thoroughly saw not only the negative, but also the positive traits of Oblomov: sincerity, kindness, the ability to feel and understand the problems of another person, inner calm and simplicity. It was to Ilya Ilyich that Stolz came in difficult moments, when he needed support and understanding. Oblomov’s dove-like tenderness, sensuality and sincerity are also revealed during his relationship with Olga. Ilya Ilyich is the first to realize that he is not suitable for the active, purposeful Ilyinskaya, who does not want to devote herself to “Oblomov” values - this reveals him as a subtle psychologist. Oblomov is ready to give up his own love, because he understands that he cannot give Olga the happiness she dreams of.
Oblomov’s character and fate are closely connected - his lack of will, inability to fight for his happiness, together with spiritual kindness and gentleness, lead to tragic consequences - fear of the difficulties and sorrows of reality, as well as the hero’s complete withdrawal into the pacifying, calm, wonderful world of illusions.
National character in the novel "Oblomov"
The image of Oblomov in Goncharov’s novel is a reflection of the national Russian character, its ambiguity and versatility. Ilya Ilyich is the same archetypal Emelya the fool on the stove, about whom the nanny told the hero in childhood. Like the character in the fairy tale, Oblomov believes in a miracle that should happen to him by itself: a supportive firebird or a kind sorceress will appear who will take him to the wonderful world of honey and milk rivers. And the chosen one of the sorceress should not be a bright, hard-working, active hero, but always “quiet, harmless”, “some kind of lazy person who is offended by everyone.”
Unquestioning faith in a miracle, in a fairy tale, in the possibility of the impossible is the main feature not only of Ilya Ilyich, but also of any Russian person raised on folk tales and legends. Finding itself on fertile soil, this faith becomes the basis of a person’s life, replacing reality with illusion, as happened with Ilya Ilyich: “his fairy tale is mixed with life, and he is unconsciously sad sometimes, why is a fairy tale not life, and why is life not a fairy tale.”
At the end of the novel, Oblomov, it would seem, finds that “Oblomov” happiness that he has long dreamed of - a calm, monotonous life without stress, a caring, kind wife, an organized life and a son. However, Ilya Ilyich does not return to the real world, he remains in his illusions, which become more important and significant for him than real happiness next to the woman who adores him. In fairy tales, the hero must pass three tests, after which he will be expected to fulfill all his desires, otherwise the hero will die. Ilya Ilyich does not pass a single test, giving in first to failure in the service, and then to the need to change for the sake of Olga. Describing Oblomov’s life, the author seems to be ironizing about the hero’s excessive faith in an unrealizable miracle for which there is no need to fight.
Conclusion
At the same time, the simplicity and complexity of Oblomov’s character, the ambiguity of the character himself, the analysis of his positive and negative sides, allow us to see in Ilya Ilyich the eternal image of an unrealized personality “out of his time” - a “superfluous person” who failed to find his own place in real life, and therefore left into the world of illusions. However, the reason for this, as Goncharov emphasizes, is not a fatal combination of circumstances or the difficult fate of the hero, but the incorrect upbringing of Oblomov, who is sensitive and gentle in character. Raised as a “houseplant,” Ilya Ilyich turned out to be unadapted to a reality that was harsh enough for his refined nature, replacing it with the world of his own dreams.
Work test
The pinnacle of creativity of the talented Russian prose writer and criticism XIX century, Ivan Goncharov became the novel “Oblomov”, published in 1859 in the magazine “Domestic Notes”. Its epic scale artistic research The lives of the Russian nobility in the mid-nineteenth century allowed this work to occupy one of the central places in Russian literature.
Characteristics of the main character
The main character of the novel is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, a young (32-33 years old) Russian nobleman, idly and carefree living on his estate. Has a pleasant appearance main feature which is gentleness in all his features and the fundamental expression of his soul.
His very favorite hobby- this is apathetic lying on the sofa and meaningless spending of time in empty thoughts and dreamy thoughts. Moreover, the complete absence of any actions is his conscious choice, because he once had a position in the department and was waiting for promotion career ladder. But then he got bored with it and gave up everything, making his ideal a carefree life filled with sleepy peace and tranquility, like in childhood.
(Old faithful servant Zakhar)
Oblomov is distinguished by his sincerity, gentleness and kindness; he has not even lost such a valuable moral quality like conscience. He is far from evil or bad deeds, but at the same time it is impossible to say with confidence that he is a positive hero. Goncharov painted the reader a terrible picture of the spiritual desolation of Oblomov and his moral decay. Old and faithful servant Zakhar - mirror reflection the character of his young master. He is just as lazy and sloppy, devoted to the depths of his soul to his master and also shares with him the philosophy of his life.
One of the main storylines in the novel, which reveals the character of the main character in the best possible way, is Oblomov’s love relationship with Olga Ilyinskaya. The romantic feelings that suddenly flared up in Oblomov’s heart for this young and sweet person arouse in him an interest in spiritual life, he begins to take an interest in the art and mental demands of his time. Thus, there is a ray of hope that Oblomov can return to normal human life. Love reveals in him new, previously unknown traits of his character, inspires him and inspires him to a new life.
But in the end, the feeling of love for this pure and highly moral girl becomes a bright, but very short-lived flash in the measured and monotonous life of the lazy gentleman. The illusions that they can be together are dispelled very quickly, they are too different from Olga, he will never be able to become the one she wants to see next to her. There is a natural break in the relationship. In the process of choosing between a romantic date and a serene sleepy state in which he lived most of his adult life, Oblomov chooses his usual and favorite option of doing nothing. And only in the house of Agafya Pshenitsina, surrounded by such usual care and an idle, carefree life, does he find his ideal refuge, where his life quietly and imperceptibly ends.
The image of the main character in the work
After its release, the novel was subjected to close attention both from critics and readers. By the name of the main character of this work(on the initiative of the famous literary critic Dobrolyubov) a whole concept of “Oblomovism” appeared, which subsequently became widespread historical meaning. It is described as a real disease of modern Russian society, when young and full of energy people of noble origin are busy with reflection and apathy, they are afraid to change anything in their lives and prefer lazy and idle vegetation instead of action and struggle for their happiness.
According to Dobrolyubov, the image of Oblomov is a symbol of serf society in Russia XIX century. The origins of his “disease” lie precisely in the serfdom, in the technical backwardness of the economy, in the process of exploitation and humiliation of forced peasant slaves. Goncharov revealed to the readers the entire path of development of Oblomov’s character and his complete moral degradation, which applies not only to one individual representative of the noble class, but to the entire nation as a whole. Oblomov’s path, sadly enough, is the path of most people who do not have a specific goal in life and are absolutely useless for society.
Even such noble and high feelings how friendship and love could not break this vicious circle of laziness and idleness, so one can only sympathize with Oblomov that he did not find the strength to cast off the shackles of sleep and live a new, full life.
The main character of the novel is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, a landowner who, however, lives permanently in St. Petersburg. Oblomov's character is perfectly maintained throughout the novel. It is far from being as simple as it might seem at first glance. The main character traits of Oblomov are an almost painful weakness of will, expressed in laziness and apathy, then a lack of living interests and desires, fear of life, fear of any changes in general.
But, along with these negative traits, there are also major positive ones in him: remarkable spiritual purity and sensitivity, good nature, cordiality and tenderness; Oblomov has a “crystal soul,” as Stolz puts it; these traits attract to him the sympathy of everyone who comes into close contact with him: Stolz, Olga, Zakhar, Agafya Matveevna, even his former colleagues who visit him in the first part of the novel. Moreover, Oblomov is far from stupid by nature, but he mental capacity doze, suppressed by laziness; He has both a desire for good and a consciousness of the need to do something for the common good (for example, for his peasants), but all these good inclinations are completely paralyzed in him by apathy and lack of will. All these character traits of Oblomov appear brightly and prominently in the novel, despite the fact that there is little action in it; V in this case This is not a drawback of the work, since it fully corresponds to the apathetic, inactive nature of the main character. The brightness of the characterization is achieved mainly through the accumulation of small but characteristic details that vividly depict the habits and inclinations of the person depicted; Thus, just from the description of Oblomov’s apartment and its furnishings on the first pages of the novel, one can get a fairly accurate idea of the personality of the owner himself. This method of characterization is one of the favorite artistic techniques Goncharova; That’s why in his works there are so many small details of everyday life, furnishings, etc.
In the first part of the novel, Goncharov introduces us to Oblomov’s lifestyle, his habits, and also talks about his past, how his character developed. During this entire part, which describes one “morning” of Oblomov, he almost never leaves his bed; in general, lying on a bed or on a sofa, in a soft robe, was, according to Goncharov, his “normal state.” Any activity tired him; Oblomov once tried to serve, but not for long, because he could not get used to the demands of the service, to strict accuracy and diligence; a fussy official life, writing papers, the purpose of which was sometimes unknown to him, the fear of making mistakes - all this weighed on Oblomov, and, having once sent an official paper instead of Astrakhan to Arkhangelsk, he chose to resign. Since then, he lived at home, almost never leaving: neither to society, nor to the theater, almost never leaving his beloved deceased robe. His time passed in a lazy “crawling from day to day,” in idle doing nothing or in no less idle dreams of great exploits, of glory. This play of imagination occupied and amused him, in the absence of other, more serious mental interests. Like any serious work that requires attention and concentration, reading tired him; therefore, he read almost nothing, did not follow life in the newspapers, content with the rumors that rare guests brought to him; the half-read book, unfolded in the middle, turned yellow and became covered with dust, and in the inkwell, instead of ink, there were only flies. Every extra step, every effort of will was beyond his power; Even concern for himself, for his own well-being, weighed on him, and he willingly left it to others, for example, Zakhar, or relied on “maybe,” on the fact that “somehow everything will work out.” Whenever a serious decision had to be made, he complained that “life touches you everywhere.” His ideal was calm, peaceful life, without worries and without any changes, so that “today” is like “yesterday”, and “tomorrow” is like “today”. Everything that disturbed the monotonous course of his existence, every concern, every change frightened and depressed him. The letter from the headman, who demanded his orders, and the need to move out of the apartment seemed to him real “misfortunes,” in his own words, and he only calmed down with the fact that somehow all this would work out.
But if there were no other traits in Oblomov’s character other than laziness, apathy, weakness of will, mental slumber, then he, of course, could not have interested the reader in himself, and Olga would not have become interested in him, and could not have served as the hero of an entire extensive novel. For this it is necessary that these negative sides his character was balanced by equally important positive ones that could arouse our sympathy. And Goncharov, indeed, from the very first chapters shows these personality traits of Oblomov. In order to more clearly highlight its positive, sympathetic sides, Goncharov introduced several episodic persons who appear in the novel only once and then disappear from its pages without a trace. This is Volkov, empty socialite, a dandy, looking for only pleasures in life, alien to any serious interests, leading a noisy and active life, but nevertheless completely devoid of inner content; then Sudbinsky, a careerist official, completely immersed in the petty interests of the official world and paperwork, and “for the rest of the world he is blind and deaf,” as Oblomov puts it; Penkin, a minor writer of a satirical, accusatory direction: he boasts that in his essays he exposes weaknesses and vices to general ridicule, seeing in this the true calling of literature: but his self-satisfied words cause rebuff from Oblomov, who finds in his works new school only slavish loyalty to nature, but too little soul, little love for the subject of the image, little true “humanity”. In the stories that Penkin admires, according to Oblomov, there are no “invisible tears,” but only visible, rough laughter; By depicting fallen people, the authors “forget man.” “You want to write with just your head! - he exclaims, - do you think that a heart is not needed for thought? No, she is fertilized by love. Extend your hand to a fallen person to lift him up, or weep bitterly over him if he dies, and do not mock him. Love him, remember yourself in him... then I will begin to read you and bow my head before you...” From these words of Oblomov it is clear that his view of the vocation of literature and its demands from a writer is much more serious and lofty than that of a professional writer Penkin, who, in his words, “wastes his thought, his soul on trifles, trades in his mind and imagination.” Finally, Goncharov brings out another certain Alekseev, “a man of uncertain years, with an indeterminate physiognomy,” who has nothing of his own: neither his tastes, nor his desires, nor his sympathies: Goncharov introduced this Alekseev, obviously, in order to show, through comparison, that Oblomov, despite all his spinelessness, is not at all distinguished by impersonality, that he has his own specific moral physiognomy.
So comparison with these episodic persons shows that Oblomov is mentally and morally stood above the people around him, that he understood the insignificance and illusory nature of the interests in which they were keen. But Oblomov not only could, but also knew how, “in his clear, conscious moments,” be critical of the surrounding society and himself, recognize his own shortcomings and suffer heavily from this consciousness. Then memories of his youth awakened in his memory, when he was at the university with Stolz, studied science, translated serious scientific works, was fond of poetry: Schiller, Goethe, Byron, dreamed of future activities, of fruitful work for the common benefit. Obviously, at this time Oblomov was also influenced by the idealistic hobbies that dominated among Russian youth of the 30s and 40s. But this influence was fragile, because Oblomov’s apathetic nature was not characterized by long-term passion, just as systematic hard work was unusual. At the university, Oblomov was content to passively assimilate the ready-made conclusions of science, without thinking them through on his own, without defining their mutual relationship, without bringing them into a harmonious connection and system. Therefore, “his head represented a complex archive of dead affairs, persons, eras, figures, unrelated political-economic, mathematical and other truths, tasks, provisions, etc. It was as if a library consisting of some scattered volumes on different parts knowledge. The teaching had a strange effect on Ilya Ilyich: between science and life there lay a whole abyss, which he did not try to cross. “He had life on its own, and science on its own.” Knowledge divorced from life, of course, could not be fruitful. Oblomov felt that he, as an educated person, needed to do something, he was aware of his duty, for example, to the people, to his peasants, he wanted to arrange their fate, improve their situation, but everything was limited only to many years of thinking about a plan for economic reforms, and the actual management of the farm and the peasants remained in the hands of the illiterate headman; and the conceived plan could hardly have practical significance due to the fact that Oblomov, as he himself admits, did not have a clear understanding of village life, did not know “what corvee is, what rural labor is, what a poor man means, what a rich man means.”
Such ignorance of real life, with a vague desire to do something useful, brings Oblomov closer to the idealists of the 40s, and especially to the “superfluous people”, as they are portrayed by Turgenev.
Similar to " unnecessary people", Oblomov sometimes became imbued with the consciousness of his powerlessness, his inability to live and act; at a moment of such consciousness, "he felt sad and painful for his underdevelopment, the stop in the growth of moral forces, for the heaviness that interfered with everything; and envy gnawed at him that others lived so fully and widely, while it was as if a heavy stone had been thrown on the narrow and pitiful path of his existence... And meanwhile, he painfully felt that some kind of... that good, bright beginning, perhaps now already dead, or it lies like gold in the depths of the mountains, and it would be high time for this gold to be a walking coin.” The consciousness that he was not living as he should, vaguely wandered in his soul, he suffered from this consciousness, sometimes cried bitter tears of powerlessness, but could not decide on any change in life, and soon calmed down again, which was facilitated by his apathetic nature, incapable of a strong uplift of spirit. When Zakhar carelessly decided to compare him with “others,” Oblomov was severely offended by this, and not only because he felt offended in his lordly pride, but also because in the depths of his soul he realized that this comparison with “others” was going far from in his favor.
When Stolz asks Zakhar what Oblomov is, he replies that he is a “master.” This is a naive, but quite accurate definition. Oblomov is, indeed, a representative of the old serf lordship, a “master,” that is, a man who “has Zakhar and three hundred more Zakharovs,” as Goncharov himself puts it about him. Using the example of Oblomov, Goncharov thus showed how detrimental it was serfdom on the nobility itself, preventing the development of energy, perseverance, initiative, and work habits. In former times, compulsory public service maintained in the service class these qualities necessary for life, which began to gradually fade away since compulsory service was abolished. The best people among the nobility they have long realized the injustice of this order of things created by serfdom; The government, starting with Catherine II, wondered about its abolition; literature, in the person of Goncharov, showed its detrimental nature for the nobility itself.
“It started with the inability to put on stockings, and ended with the inability to live,” Stolz aptly put it about Oblomov. Oblomov himself is aware of his inability to live and act, his inability to adapt, the result of which is a vague but painful fear of life. This consciousness lies tragic trait in Oblomov’s character, sharply separating him from the former “Oblomovites.” They were whole natures, with a strong, albeit simple-minded, worldview, alien to any doubts, any internal duality. In contrast to them, there is precisely this duality in Oblomov’s character; it was brought into it by the influence of Stolz and the education he received. For Oblomov it was already psychologically impossible to lead the same calm and complacent existence that his fathers and grandfathers led, because deep down in his soul he still felt that he was not living as he should and as “others” like Stolz lived. Oblomov already has a consciousness of the need to do something, to be useful, to live not for himself alone; He also has a consciousness of his duty to the peasants, whose labors he uses; he is developing a “plan” for a new structure of village life, where the interests of the peasants are also taken into account, although Oblomov does not at all think about the possibility and desirability of the complete abolition of serfdom. Until this “plan” is completed, he does not consider it possible to move to Oblomovka, but, of course, nothing comes of his work, because he lacks either knowledge of rural life, perseverance, diligence, or real conviction in the feasibility of the “plan” itself. " Oblomov grieves heavily at times, suffers in the consciousness of his unfitness, but is unable to change his character. His will is paralyzed, every action, every decisive step frightens him: he is afraid of life, just as in Oblomovka they were afraid of the ravine, about which there were various unkind rumors.
Ilya Ilyich Oblomov - main character novel by I. A. Goncharov is collectively Russian landowners. It presents all the vices of noble society during the times of serfdom: not just laziness and idleness, but taking it for granted.
Ilya Ilyich all day long
Spends in inaction: he doesn't even have civil service, does not go to the theater, does not go to visit. It would seem that a person living such a useless life, otherwise negative hero and you can’t name it. But even at the beginning of the novel, Goncharov makes it clear to us that this is not so: Oblomov mentions Andrei Stolts, his childhood friend, who more than once helped out Ilya Ilyich and settled his affairs. If Oblomov had represented nothing of himself as a person, then with such a lifestyle he would hardly have maintained such a close friendship with Stolz.
What made the German take care of Oblomov and try to “save” him from “Oblomovism” even after so many years of futile attempts? The first part of the novel, the scene of Oblomov’s meeting with his “friends,” will help you figure this out. They all continue to visit Ilya Ilyich, but each for their own needs. They come, talk about their lives, and leave without listening to the owner of the hospitable house; So Volkov leaves, and Sudbinsky leaves. The writer Penkin leaves, trying to advertise his article, which undoubtedly caused success among society, but did not interest Oblomov at all. Alekseev leaves; he seems to be a grateful listener, but a listener without an opinion; a listener who cares not about Oblomov himself, not about the personality of the speaker, but about his presence. Tarantiev also leaves - he generally came to benefit from the kindness of Ilya Ilyich.
But at the same time, one can notice one feature of Oblomov - he not only receives guests, but also notices their shortcomings. Life in inaction made Oblomov reasonable and calm; he looks at everything from the outside and notices all the vices of his generation, which young people usually take for granted. Oblomov does not see the point in haste, he does not care about ranks and money; he knows how to reason and realistically assess the situation. Ilya Ilyich did not have a passion for reading, so he did not know how to talk beautifully and intelligently about politics or literature, but at the same time he subtly noticed the current state of affairs in society. Lying on the sofa became not only Oblomov’s vice, but also his salvation from the “rottenness” of society - having renounced the bustle of the world around him, Ilya Ilyich reached in his thoughts true values.
But, alas, no matter how Oblomov talked about how to live, no matter how much he reproached himself for lying on the couch, he still could not motivate himself to take any action, and Oblomov’s ideas remained inside him. Therefore, Ilya Ilyich cannot be called a positive hero, just as he cannot be called a negative one.
Stolz, in contrast to Oblomov, is a man of action. He thinks narrowly and cynically, not allowing himself free thoughts and dreams. Stolz clearly thinks through the plan, evaluates his capabilities, and only then makes a decision and follows it. But he cannot be called a positive or negative hero. Both Stolz and Oblomov - two different types people, a driving and thinking force who can support humanity only together. I believe that the essence of the novel “Oblomov” is not to eradicate “Oblomovism,” but to direct it strengths V acting hands. During serfdom, “Oblomovism” was strong: the inaction and laziness of landowners who left work to the peasants and knew only fun in life. But now I believe a big problem- these are the “Stolts”, people who are actively active, but are not able to think as deeply as Oblomov.
“Oblomovs” are also important in society, capable of accepting right decisions, and “Stolts implementing these decisions. And only with the equal presence of both is possible the improvement of society.
Essays on topics:
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