Ilya Oblomov is the main character of the novel. Ilya Ilyich Oblomov - lazy dreamer

Introduction

The work “Oblomov” by Goncharov is a socio-psychological novel that was published in 1859. In the book, the author touches on a number of eternal topics: parents and children, love and friendship, the search for the meaning of life and others, revealing them through the biography of the main character - Ilya Ilyich Oblomov - a lazy, apathetic, overly dreamy and completely unadapted person. real life. The image of Oblomov in Goncharov’s novel is central and most striking in a masculine way works. According to the plot of the book, the reader meets Ilya Ilyich, when the hero has already reached thirty extra years and represents a fully formed personality. Like many men his age, he dreams of big family, children, a sweet, thrifty wife and a prosperous end of life in his native estate - Oblomovka. However, all these ideas about the distant wonderful future remain only in the hero’s dreams; in real life, Ilya Ilyich does absolutely nothing that would bring him even one step closer to the idyllic picture that he had long planned in his dreams.

Oblomov's days pass in continuous idleness; he is even too lazy to get out of bed to greet guests. His whole life is a sleepy kingdom, a dreamy half-asleep, consisting of the continuous stringing and creation of unrealizable illusions that exhausted him morally and from which he sometimes got tired and fell asleep exhausted. In this monotonous life leading to degradation, Ilya Ilyich was hiding from real world, fenced himself off from everyone possible ways, afraid of his activity and not wanting to take responsibility for their actions, much less work and confidently step over failures and defeats, continuing to move forward.

Why is Oblomov trying to escape from real life?

To understand the reasons for Oblomov’s escapism, it is worth briefly describing the atmosphere in which the hero was brought up. Home village Ilya Ilyich - Oblomovka, was located in a picturesque and quiet area remote from the capital. Beautiful nature, a calm, measured life on the estate, the lack of need to work and the excessive care of his parents led to the fact that Oblomov was not ready for the difficulties of life outside Oblomovka. Brought up in an atmosphere of love and even adoration, Ilya Ilyich thought that he would encounter a similar attitude towards himself in the service. Imagine his surprise when, instead of similarity loving family, where everyone supports each other, a team with a completely different mindset was waiting for him. At work, no one was interested in him, no one cared about him, since everyone thought only about increasing their own salary and promotion. career ladder. Feeling uncomfortable, after the first mistake in the service, Oblomov, on the one hand, fearing punishment, and on the other, having found a reason for dismissal, he leaves his job. The hero no longer tried to get a job somewhere, living on the money that was sent to him from Oblomovka and spending all his days in bed, thus reliably hiding from the worries and problems of the outside world.

Oblomov and Stolz are antipodal images

The antithesis of the image of the main character in the novel “Oblomov” by Ilya Ilyich is his childhood friend, Andrei Ivanovich Stolts. By character and life priorities Stolz is the complete opposite of Oblomov, although they come from the same social class. Unlike the lazy, apathetic, dreamy Ilya Ilyich, who lives exclusively in his past, Andrei Ivanovich always strives forward, he is not afraid of failures, since he knows that in any case he will be able to achieve his goal, to reach ever greater heights. And if the meaning of Oblomov’s life is the illusory world that he builds in his imagination and for which he lives, then for Stolz this meaning remains hard work.

Despite the fact that in the work the heroes are contrasted as two differently directed principles and two antithetical personality types - introverted and extroverted, Stolz and Oblomov organically complement each other and need each other. Without Andrei Ivanovich, Ilya Ilyich would probably have completely abandoned business in Oblomovka or sold it for pennies to someone like Tarantiev. Stolz most clearly understood the harmful influence of “Oblomovism” on his friend, so he tried with all his might to return him to real life, taking him with him to social events or forcing him to read new books.
The author's introduction into the narrative of such a character as Andrei Ivanovich helps to better understand the image of Ilya Ilyich. Compared to his friend, Oblomov, on the one hand, looks passive, lazy, not wanting to strive for anything. On the other hand, his positive qualities are also revealed - warmth, kindness, tenderness, understanding and sympathy for loved ones, because it was in conversations with Ilya Ilyich that Stolz gained peace of mind, lost in the constant race of life.

Revealing the image of Oblomov through love

In the life of Ilya Ilyich there were two different loves - a spontaneous, all-encompassing, stormy and revitalizing love for Olga Ilyinskaya and a quiet, pacifying, respect-based, full of calm and monotony love for Agafya Pshenitsyna. The image of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is revealed differently in relationships with each of the women.

Love for Olga was that bright ray that could pull the hero out of the “swamp of Oblomovism,” because it was for the sake of Ilyinskaya Oblomov forgets about his favorite robe, begins to read books again, it’s as if his wings are growing, as a real goal appears - a possible happy future with Olga, a family and his own comfortable estate. However, Ilya Ilyich was not ready to change completely; Ilyinskaya’s aspirations for constant development and reaching new heights. In a relationship with Olga, Oblomov is the first to retreat and the first writes her a letter in which he says that her love is not true feelings. This act can be considered not only as the hero’s weakness, his fear of change and internal passivity, but also as better understanding spheres of feelings, excellent intuitive sense and understanding of the psychology of other people. Ilya Ilyich subconsciously felt that they life paths too different that Olga needs much more than he is ready to give her. And even if he tries to become for her the very ideal of a gentle, kind, sensual, but at the same time continuously developing, active person, he will be unhappy for the rest of his life, never having found the desired happiness.

After the difficult but predetermined separation of Oblomov and Olga, the hero finds solace surrounded by the care of Pshenitsyna. Agafya, by nature, is the ideal of the “Oblomov” woman - poorly educated, but at the same time very kind, sincere, economic, caring for the comfort and satiety of her husband and adoring him. Ilya Ilyich’s feelings for Pshenitsyna were built on respect, which gradually grew into warmth and understanding, and then into a calm, but strong love. Let us remember that when Stolz tried to take Oblomov with him, he did not want to go, not because he was lazy, but because it was important for him to stay with his wife, who was able to give him the happiness that he had dreamed of for so long.

Conclusion

Analysis of Oblomov’s image makes it clear that interpreting Ilya Ilyich as unambiguously positive or negative hero it is forbidden. He attracts the reader in his own way, but also causes antipathy with his laziness and passivity, which indicates the versatility of the character’s nature, his inner depth and, possibly, powerful unrealized potential. Oblomov is a composite image of a typical Russian person, a dreamy, contemplative personality who always hopes for the best and sees true happiness in monotony and tranquility. As critics point out, Goncharov largely copied Ilya Ilyich from himself, which makes the novel even more interesting for a modern reader interested in the work of the great Russian writer.

A detailed analysis of the image of the hero of Goncharov’s novel will be useful for 10th graders when writing an essay on the topic “The Image of Oblomov in the novel “Oblomov”.”

Work test

Oblomovism is a state of mind characterized by personal stagnation and apathy. This word comes from the name of the main character. famous novel Goncharova. Throughout almost the entire narrative, Ilya Oblomov remains in a similar state. And, despite the efforts of his friend, his life ends tragically.

Roman Goncharova

This work is iconic in literature. The novel is dedicated to a state characteristic of Russian society, which at first glance may seem to be nothing more than an extreme degree of laziness. However, the meaning of the word “Oblomovism” is deeper.

Critics called the work the pinnacle of I. A. Goncharov’s creativity. The novel clearly expresses its problems. The writer achieved in it clarity of style and completeness of composition. Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is one of brightest characters in Russian literature of the nineteenth century.

The image of the main character

Ilya Oblomov comes from a family of landowners. His way of life became a distorted reflection of Domostroevsky norms. Oblomov spent his childhood and youth on the estate, where life was extremely monotonous. But the hero absorbed the values ​​of his parents, if one can, of course, use this word to call a way of life in which Special attention gives in to sleep and long meals. And yet, the personality of Ilya Ilyich was formed precisely in such an atmosphere, which predetermined his fate.

The author characterizes his hero as an apathetic, withdrawn and dreamy man of thirty-two years old. Ilya Oblomov has a pleasant appearance, dark gray eyes, which lack any idea. His face lacks concentration. The characterization of Ilya Oblomov was given by Goncharov at the beginning of the novel. But as the story progresses, the hero reveals other traits: he is kind, honest, selfless. But main feature This character, unique in literature, is characterized by traditional Russian daydreaming.

Dreams

Ilya Ilyich Oblomov loves to dream above all else. His idea of ​​happiness is somewhat utopian in nature. As a child, Ilya was surrounded by care and love. Peace and harmony reigned in the parental home. A loving nanny told him every evening colorful stories about beautiful sorceresses and miracles that could make a person happy instantly, once and for all. And there is no need to make any effort. A fairy tale can come true. You just have to believe.

Ilya Oblomov remembers his native estate so often, reclining on his sofa in a greasy, unchanging robe, that he begins to dream about the atmosphere of his native home. And there is nothing sweeter than these dreams. However, from time to time something brings him back to the gray, unsightly reality.

Oblomov and Stolz

As an antipode to the Russian dreamer from a landowner family, the author introduced the image of a man into the work German origin. Stolz has no inclination to idle thoughts. He is a man of action. The meaning of his life is work. Promoting his ideas, Stolz criticizes Ilya Oblomov’s lifestyle.

These people have known each other since childhood. But when the son of the owner of Oblomovka, accustomed to the slow, unhurried rhythm of life, arrived in St. Petersburg, he was unable to adapt to life in big city. The service in the office did not go well, and he found nothing better than to lie down on the sofa for many months and indulge in dreams. Stolz, on the contrary, is a man of action. He is not characterized by careerism, laziness, or negligence in relation to his work. But at the end of the novel, this hero still admits that his work does not have any high goals.

Olga Ilyinskaya

This heroine managed to “lift” Oblomov from the couch. Having met and fallen in love with her, he began to get up early in the morning. There was no longer any chronic drowsiness on my face. Apathy left Oblomov. Ilya Ilyich began to feel embarrassed about his old robe, hiding it away, out of sight.

Olga felt some sympathy for Oblomov, calling him a “heart of gold.” Ilya Ilyich had an extremely developed imagination, as evidenced by his colorful sofa fantasies. This quality is not bad. Its owner is always interesting companion. So was Ilya Oblomov. He was quite pleasant in conversation, despite the fact that he did not know the latest St. Petersburg gossip and news. But in actively caring for this man, Ilyinskaya was seduced by something else, namely, the desire to assert herself. She was a young lady, although very active. And the ability to influence a person older than her, to change his way of life and thoughts, incredibly inspired the girl.

The relationship between Oblomov and Ilyinskaya could not have a future. He needed the quiet, calm care that he received as a child. What frightened her was his indecision.

Oblomov's tragedy

Oblomov grew up in greenhouse conditions. In childhood, he may have shown childish playfulness, but excessive care on the part of his parents and nanny suppressed the manifestation of any activity. Ilyusha was protected from danger. And it turned out that although he grew up kind person, but deprived of the ability to fight, set a goal, and even more so achieve it.

At the service he was unpleasantly surprised. The bureaucratic world had nothing in common with Oblomov's paradise. Here it was every man for himself. And infantilism and the inability to exist in real life led to the fact that Oblomov perceived the slightest obstacle as a disaster. The service became unpleasant and difficult for him. He left her and went to his beautiful world dreams and daydreams.

The life of Ilya Oblomov is a consequence of unrealized potential and the gradual degradation of personality.

Goncharov's hero in real life

The image of Ilya Oblomov is collective. There are many people in Russia who cannot adapt to changing social and economic conditions. And especially many Oblomovs appear when the old way of life collapses. It becomes easier for such people to live in a non-existent world, remembering old times, rather than changing themselves.

Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov worked on the novel “Oblomov” for ten years. The characterization of the main character is so convincingly presented by the classic that it went beyond the scope of the work, and the image became a household name. The quality of the author's elaboration of the characters in the story is impressive. All of them are integral, possessing the features contemporary writer of people.

The topic of this article is the characteristics of the heroes of Oblomov.

Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. Sliding on the plane of laziness

The central image of the book is the young (32-33 years old) landowner Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, a lazy, imposing dreamer. He is a man of average height, with dark gray eyes, pleasant facial features, and childishly pampered plump hands. The person living in the St. Petersburg apartment on the Vyborg side is ambiguous. Oblomov is an excellent conversationalist. By his nature, he is not capable of causing harm to anyone. His soul is pure. He is educated and has a broad outlook. At any given time, his face reflects a continuous stream of thoughts. It would seem that we are talking about if not for the enormous laziness that has taken possession of Ilya Ilyich. Since childhood, numerous nannies took care of him in small ways. “Zakharki da Vanya” from the serfs did any work for him, even small ones. His days pass in idleness and lying on the sofa.

Trusting them, Oblomov signed an enslaving agreement for his Vyborg apartment, and then paid fake “moral damages” to Agafya’s brother Mukhoyarov in the amount of ten thousand rubles through a fake loan letter. Ilya Ilyich's friend Stolz exposes the scoundrels. After this, Tarantiev “goes on the run.”

People close to Oblomov

Those around him feel that he soulful person, Oblomov. The characterization is a characterization, but the protagonist’s self-destruction through laziness does not prevent him from having friends. The reader sees how a true friend Andrei Stolts is trying to snatch Oblomov from the tight embrace of doing nothing. After Oblomov’s death, he became, according to the latter’s will, an adoptive father for his son Andryusha.

Oblomov has a devoted and loving common-law wife - the widow Agafya Pshenitsyna - an unrivaled housewife, narrow-minded, illiterate, but honest and decent. Outwardly she is plump, but well-behaved and hard-working. Ilya Ilyich admires it, comparing it to a cheesecake. The woman breaks off all relations with her brother Ivan Mukhoyarov, having learned about his low deception of her husband. After death common-law husband the woman feels that “the soul has been taken out of her.” Having given her son to be raised by the Stolts, Agafya simply wants to follow her Ilya. She is not interested in money, as can be seen from her refusal of the income due from Oblomov’s estate.

Ilya Ilyich is served by Zakhar - an unkempt, lazy, but idolizing his master and a loyal servant of the old school to the end. After the master's death, the former servant prefers to beg, but remains near his grave.

More about the image of Andrei Stolts

Often the theme school essays is Oblomov and Stolz. They are opposite even in appearance. Tawny, dark, with sunken cheeks, it seems that Stolz consists entirely of muscles and tendons. He has a rank behind him and a guaranteed income. Later, while working in a trading company, he earned money to buy a house. He shows activity and creativity, he is offered interesting and lucrative work. In the second part of the novel, it is he who tries to bring Oblomov together with Olga Ilyinskaya, introducing them. However, Oblomov stopped building a relationship with this lady because he was afraid to change housing and engage in active work. Disappointed Olga, who planned to re-educate the lazy man, left him. However, Stolz’s image is not ideal, despite his constant creative work. He, as the opposite of Oblomov, is afraid to dream. Goncharov put an abundance of rationality and rationalism into this image. The writer believed that he had not finalized the image of Stolz. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov even considered this image negative, the judgment that he was “too pleased with himself” and “thinks too well of himself.”

Olga Ilyinskaya - woman of the future

The image of Olga Ilyinskaya is strong, complete, beautiful. Not a beauty, but surprisingly harmonious and dynamic. She is deeply spiritual and at the same time active. met her singing the aria "Casta diva". This woman turned out to be capable of stirring up even such a guy. But re-educating Oblomov turned out to be an extremely difficult task, no more effective than training woodpeckers; laziness took deep roots in him. In the end, Oblomov is the first to give up his relationship with Olga (due to laziness). A characteristic of their further relationship is Olga’s active sympathy. She marries the active, reliable and faithful Andrei Stolz, who loves her. They have a wonderful, harmonious family. But the astute reader will understand that the active German “does not reach” the spiritual level of his wife.

Conclusion

A string of Goncharov’s images passes before the eyes of the reader of the novel. Of course, the most striking of them is the image of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. Having wonderful prerequisites for a successful, comfortable life, he managed to ruin himself. At the end of his life, the landowner realized what had happened to him, giving this phenomenon the capacious, laconic name “Oblomovism.” Is it modern? And how. Today's Ilya Ilyichs, in addition to the dream flight, also have impressive resources - computer games with amazing graphics.

The novel did not reveal the image of Andrei Stolts to the extent intended by Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov. The author of the article considers this to be natural. After all, the classic depicted two extremes in these heroes. The first is a useless dream, and the second is a pragmatic, unspiritual activity. It is obvious that only by combining these qualities in the right proportion will we get something harmonious.

Meet the hero. Oblomov and his everyday environment. Goncharov’s most famous novel begins with the words: “In Gorokhovaya Street, in one of the large houses, the population of which would increase by a whole county town, lay in bed in the morning, in his apartment, Ilya Ilyich Oblomov.”

Goncharov uses here the technique of stepwise narrowing of images. First we find ourselves in St. Petersburg, on one of the main aristocratic streets of the capital, then in a large populous house, finally in the apartment and bedroom of the main character, Oblomov. Before us is one of many thousands of the population of a huge city even then. The tone of the narrative is set - leisurely, epically smooth. It partly reminds us of the beginning of a Russian fairy tale: “In a certain kingdom... there once was...” At the same time, the eye stumbles over the word “lying,” and a page further on the author explains to us that “lying down for Ilya Ilyich was not a necessity, as it is for sick<...>, neither by chance, like that of someone who is tired, nor by pleasure, like that of a lazy person: this was his normal state. When he was at home - and he was almost always at home - he kept lying down...”

The room fully responds to its owner: “the cobwebs were molded in the form of festoons,” “the carpets were stained.” But the robe enjoys the tender love of its owner: “a real oriental robe<…>, without a waist, very roomy, so Oblomov could wrap himself in it twice.” Subsequently, we will witness the metamorphosis of the robe, which will go along with the owner through the entire narrative. "This<…>symbolic details, tending towards singularity, replacing a number of details, usually repeated in the narrative, marking milestones in the plot or a change in the characters’ mindsets..."

Oblomov periodically calls out: “Zakhar!” A “grumble” is heard, “the knock of feet jumping from somewhere,” and a second character appears before the reader, a servant, “in a gray frock coat, with a hole under his arm.”<…>, With<…>sideburns, from which each would have become three beards.” For Oblomov, Zakhar is both a “devoted servant” of the house, a keeper of family memories, a friend, and a nanny. The communication between the footman and the master turns into a string of funny everyday scenes:

After all, you called?

Did you call? Why did I call you - I don’t remember! - he answered ( Oblomov) stretching. - Go to your room for now, and I’ll remember.

- <…>Find the letter that I received from the headman yesterday. Where are you taking him?

Which letter? “I haven’t seen any letter,” said Zakhar.

You received it from the postman: it’s so dirty!

Handkerchief, quickly! You could have guessed it yourself: you don’t see! - Ilya Ilyich remarked sternly<…>.

Who knows where the scarf is? - he grumbled ( Zakhar) <…>feeling each chair, although it was already possible to see that there was nothing lying on the chairs.

- <…>“There he is,” he suddenly wheezed angrily, “under you!”<…>You lie on it yourself, and ask for a scarf!

Servant Zakhar in a more frank, rude, undisguised form reveals to us negative traits Oblomov - and hatred of work, and a thirst for peace and idleness, and a tendency to exaggerate the severity of one’s worries. Just as Oblomov tirelessly works on a plan, Zakhar intends to carry out a spring cleaning. However, Zakhar should not be considered a double of Ilya Ilyich, a simple lazy simpleton. This means becoming like a “superficially observant” person who, “looking<…>to Oblomov, he would say: “He must be a good man, simplicity!” The author warns that “a deeper person,” having observed Oblomov, “peering into his face for a long time, would have walked away in pleasant thought, with a smile.” And the hero’s face is truly remarkable in its childish, clear simplicity: “...Neither fatigue nor boredom could<…>drive away from the face the softness that was dominant<…>an expression not only of the face, but of the whole soul; and the soul shone so openly and clearly in the eyes, in the smile, in every movement...”

It seems that Ilya Ilyich lives in his own special little world, but strangers intrude into this world every now and then; many people care about him. Knocking on the door are the socialite Volkov, the zealous official Sudbinsky, the fashionable writer Penkin, the businessman Tarantiev and simply “a man of uncertain years, with an uncertain physiognomy.” What attracts St. Petersburg residents to this neglected apartment? The same softness and warmth of the owner’s soul. Even the scoundrel Tarantiev knows that he will find a “warm, peaceful shelter” in this house. How in short supply simple human feelings are among the capital’s residents can be seen from the same dialogue with guests. As soon as Oblomov mentions his own affairs, complains about “two misfortunes,” the visitors seem to be blown away by the wind: “Pardon, there’s no time.”<…>, next time!"; “No, no, I’d better stop by again one of these days”; “However, I have to go to the printing house!” Advice, prompted by everyday dexterity, is given by Tarantiev alone. And even then not out of the kindness of his heart, but from his own views, as we will soon learn about.

In turn, the owner is ready to listen to everyone; every visitor dedicates it to their most cherished dreams: who is successfully dragging their feet, who has made a career and is going to get married, who has published a fresh newspaper. However, Oblomov is not only kind, but smart and insightful. At the end of the visit, Ilya Ilyich sums up the life aspirations of each guest. Thus, Sudbinsky, the head of the department, is concerned with the issues of “construction of buildings<…>dog kennels to protect government property from theft.” And Oblomov reflects bitterly on Sudbinsky the man: “I got stuck, dear friend, I got stuck up to my ears.<...>And blind, and deaf, and dumb to everything else in the world.<…>And he will live out his life, and many, many things will not move in him.” Ilya Ilyich’s thoughts are sad also because they are filled with generalizations. The country is run by the Sudbinskys: “And he will come out among the people, over time he will manage his affairs and grab ranks.”

Ilya Ilyich receives everyone equally gently and outwardly apathetically, except for the character with a telling surname Penkin. This is a dexterous painter, ready to “skim the skins” from any topic of interest to the public - from “beautiful April days” to “composition against fires”. (So ​​M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin called the fashionable newspaper “The Newest Foam Maker” in his satire). His latest opus is published under the piquant title “The Love of a Bribe Taker for a Fallen Woman” and is an illustration of the lowest brand of fiction: “Everything<…>ranks of fallen women dismantled<…>with amazing, vital fidelity...” Penkin examines the stumbled members of society like insects through a microscope. He sees the task of pronouncing a harsh sentence. Unexpectedly for himself (and for us), the cynical journalist encounters a sharp rebuff from Oblomov. The hero delivers an insightful speech, filled with mercy and wisdom. “Eject from the civilian environment! - Oblomov suddenly spoke with inspiration, standing in front of Penkin<…>. He is a spoiled man, but he is still a man, that is, you yourself.<…>And how will you be cast out from the circle of humanity, from the bosom of nature, from the mercy of God?” - he almost shouted with flaming eyes. Let's pay attention to the author's remarks - “suddenly ignited,” “speaking with inspiration, standing in front of Penkin.” Ilya Ilyich got up from the sofa! True, the author stipulates that within a minute, ashamed of his ardor, Oblomov “yawned and slowly lay down.” But the reader already understood: the hero can get off the couch, he has something to offer people. The same practical newspaperman remarks: “You have a lot of tact, Ilya Ilyich, you should write!”

In essence, the exhibition already gives a preliminary answer to the question of why Oblomov did not become a successful official, like Sudbinsky, or a social waster, like Volkov, or, finally, a clever businessman, following the example of Tarantiev. Goncharov pits his hero against typical figures of the educated class of St. Petersburg. “The environment did not “stick”; the environment rejected” people like Oblomov. Ilya Ilyich turns out to be certainly superior to any of them in spiritually, How Human.

In conversations with his servant Zakhar Oblomov tries to defend his right to live like this: “I have never pulled a stocking over my feet as I live, thank God!.. I was raised tenderly,<...>I never endured cold or hunger, I didn’t know any need, I didn’t earn my own bread...” Oblomov’s definition of “lordship” combines two different meanings. The first is the opportunity to live without work, while “the other... if he doesn’t work, he won’t eat.” The second, paradoxically, is the concept of noble honor, which has taken such a bizarre form: “The other” bows, the “other” asks, humiliates... And me?”

Convincing others of the rationality and correctness of his existence, Oblomov cannot always believe it himself: “He had to admit that someone else would have had time to write all the letters<...>, another one would move to new apartment, and would have carried out the plan, and would have gone to the village. “After all, I could do all this<…>, he thought<…>. You just have to want it!”

At the end of the first part of the novel, Ilya Ilyich awakens from spiritual sleep. “This is one of the clear, conscious moments in Oblomov’s life. How scared he became<…>when in my head<…>ran erratically, timidly, like birds awakened by a sudden ray of sun in a dormant ruin, different life questions" The author dives into the very depths of the character's soul. IN usual time they are hidden from himself, drowned out by laziness, lulled by reasoning: “He felt sad and hurt for his underdevelopment, the stop in the growth of moral forces<…>; and envy gnawed at him that others lived so fully and widely, while for him it was as if a heavy stone had been thrown on the narrow and miserable path of his existence.” "Now or never!" - he concluded..."

Article menu:

Ilya Ilyich Oblomov - main character novel of the same name Goncharova. This image is unique in that it fully exposes the uncharacteristic negative quality in the field of literature, but the inherent state of every person is laziness. Some people find the strength to overcome laziness and make laziness a periodic guest; for some, as in the case of Oblomov, laziness becomes a constant companion in life. Why does this happen, is there a way out of such a situation, and on whom does the result of such a confrontation depend? Goncharov gives answers to these questions, depicting all the consequences of such a life using the example of the nobleman Oblomov.

Oblomov is of noble origin

"Nobleman by birth." He has 300 serfs:
"Three hundred souls."

Ilya Ilyich is the owner of a family estate, which he has not been to for 12 years:
“The twelfth year in St. Petersburg”

Ilya Ilyich Oblomov lives in St. Petersburg at:
"Pea Street"

His age is not exactly known

He is "a man about thirty-two or three years old"
Oblomov has an attractive appearance, he evokes sympathy:
"of average height, pleasant appearance"

He has gray eyes, but they are somehow empty:
“with dark gray eyes, but with the absence of any definite idea, any concentration in the facial features.”

Oblomov leads a passive way of life, he is rarely outside the house, so his face seems colorless:

“Ilya Ilyich’s complexion was neither ruddy, nor dark, nor positively pale, but indifferent or seemed so, perhaps because Oblomov was somehow flabby beyond his years: perhaps from lack of movement or air, or maybe both."

We invite you to familiarize yourself with summary novel by I. Goncharov, which talks about two sides of Russia in the 19th century.

Carelessness is Oblomov’s constant state; his personal belongings also acquire this characteristic:
“The carelessness passed from the face into the poses of the whole body, even into the folds of the dressing gown.”
Sometimes his state of carelessness changed to boredom or fatigue:

“Sometimes his gaze darkened with an expression as if of fatigue or boredom; but neither fatigue nor boredom could for a moment drive away the softness from the face, which was the dominant and fundamental expression, not only of the face, but of the whole soul.”

Oblomov's favorite clothing is a dressing gown

“... Made of Persian material, a real oriental robe, without the slightest hint of Europe, without tassels, without velvet, without a waist, very roomy, so Oblomov could wrap himself in it twice.”

His robe was significantly worn, but Oblomov is not embarrassed by this: “it lost its original freshness and in places replaced its primitive, natural gloss with another, acquired one, but still retained the brightness of oriental paint and the strength of the fabric.”

Ilya Ilyich fell in love with the robe because it is as “soft” as its owner:

“The robe had in Oblomov’s eyes a darkness of invaluable merits: it is soft, flexible; the body does not feel it on itself; he, like an obedient slave, submits to the slightest movement of the body.”

Oblomov’s favorite pastime is lying on the sofa, he has no good reason for this - he does it out of laziness:

“For Ilya Ilyich, lying down was neither a necessity, like that of a sick person or like a person who wants to sleep, nor an accident, like that of someone who is tired, nor a pleasure, like that of a lazy person: it was his normal state.”

In Ilya Ilyich’s office there are many things that their owner does not need - they were purchased and installed because it was customary:
“he looked at the decoration of his office so coldly and absent-mindedly, as if he was asking with his eyes: “Who brought and installed all this here?”

There is no order in the house rented by Oblomov - dust and garbage are evenly placed on all objects: “On the walls, near the paintings, a cobweb, saturated with dust, was molded in the form of festoons; mirrors, instead of reflecting objects, could rather serve as tablets for writing down some notes on them in the dust for memory. The carpets were stained."

Ilya Ilyich’s days always follow the same scenario - he doesn’t get up for a long time, lies on the couch and all morning intends to get up and do a bunch of things, but constantly delays his intention:
“I intended to get up, wash my face and, having drunk some tea, think carefully, figure out something... For half an hour he lay there, tormented by this intention, but then he decided that he would still have time to do this after tea, and he could drink tea, as usual, at bed, especially since nothing prevents you from thinking while lying down.”



Some time later, the Oblomovs were rich and wealthy, but then things got worse; the Oblomovs themselves do not know why this happened:
“became poorer, grew smaller, and finally became imperceptibly lost among the not-old noble houses».


Oblomov often likes to call his servant Zakhar to him, almost always these are empty requests, sometimes Ilya Ilyich himself does not know why he called Zakhar:
“Why did I call you - I don’t remember! Go to your room for now, and I’ll remember.”

From time to time, Oblomov’s apathy subsides, he reprimands Zakhara for the mess and garbage in the house, but the matter does not move beyond reprimands - everything remains in its place: “...dust causes moths? Sometimes I even see a bug on the wall!”

Ilya Ilyich does not like change, the need to move upsets him terribly, he tries to delay this moment as much as possible, ignores the request of the homeowner to speed up the move:
“They say they promised for a month, but you still don’t move out... We’ll let the police know.”

Fear of changing your life

He himself is aware of such intolerance to change
“...I can’t stand any changes.”
Oblomov does not tolerate the cold:
“Don’t come, don’t come: you’re coming from the cold!”

Dinner parties and large accumulations seem to Ilya Ilyich a boring and pointless task:
“Oh my God! The boredom must be hellish!”

Oblomov does not like to work:
“work from eight o’clock to twelve, from twelve to five, and at home too - oh, oh.”

Penkin’s characterization of Oblomov:
“...an incorrigible, carefree sloth!”
Oblomov believes that work should not be too tiring: “Write at night... when can I sleep?”

Oblomov's acquaintances are surprised by his inactivity. Taranyev says this about Ilya Ilyich’s laziness:
“It’s almost twelve o’clock, and he’s lying around”

Tarantiev deceives Oblomov and often takes money from him: “... he snatched the banknote from Oblomov’s hands and quickly hid it in his pocket.”
Several years ago, Oblomov tried to go into the service and became a collegiate secretary. The work was difficult for him:
“...running and bustle began, everyone was embarrassed, everyone knocked each other down.”

Due to his laziness and absent-mindedness, service became hell for Oblomov; he barely served for two years and left the service, considering this type of activity unsuitable for him:
“Ilya Ilyich suffered from fear and melancholy in the service, even under a kind, condescending boss.”

Ilya Ilyich often makes mistakes in his work; once he mixed up the addresses and sent necessary documents not to Astrakhan but to Arkhangelsk. When the mistake became clear, Oblomov worried for a long time because he realized the irresponsibility of his action:
“although he and everyone else knew that the boss would limit himself to a remark; but my own conscience was much stricter than the reprimand.”

The only person who can stir up this sloth is his childhood friend Andrei Stolts:
“Stolz’s youthful heat infected Oblomov, and he burned with a thirst for work.”

Studying was difficult for Oblomov - his parents often made him concessions and left him at home while the educational process was not completed. Oblomov never tried to correct this state of affairs; his level of education suits Ilya Ilyich:
“...he had a whole abyss between science and life, which he did not try to cross. His life was on its own, and his science was on its own.”

From constant idleness and immobility, Oblomov begins to develop various deviations in the functioning of his body systems:
“The stomach almost doesn’t cook, there’s a heaviness in the pit of the stomach, heartburn is tormenting, breathing is heavy.”

He does not like to read books or newspapers - his detachment from life suits Oblomov. This matter is too tedious for the lazy Oblomov:
“the pages on which the books were unfolded were covered with dust and turned yellow; it is clear that they were abandoned a long time ago; The newspaper number was last year.”

The parents dreamed of the day when their son would gain a position in society and receive a significant promotion, but at the same time they did not understand that an uneducated person would never achieve this; they seriously thought that this could happen by chance or some kind of fraud:

“They also dreamed of an embroidered uniform for him, imagined him as a councilor in the chamber, and even his mother as a governor; but they would like to achieve all this somehow cheaper, with various tricks.”

Zakhar's attempts to stir up his owner do not lead to anything good. Oblomov fights off the servant:
“Oblomov suddenly, unexpectedly jumped to his feet and rushed at Zakhar. Zakhar rushed away from him as fast as he could, but on the third step Oblomov sobered up completely from sleep and began to stretch, yawning: “Give me... kvass.”

Stolz and Oblomov are connected by childhood memories - Andrei cannot see how aimlessly his friend’s days pass:
“Everyone is busy, but you don’t need anything.”

Stolz manages to activate Ilya Ilyich. He drags Oblomov out into the world, where Ilya Ilyich at first feels out of place, but over time, this feeling passes. Stolz encourages his friend to go abroad together. The friend agrees. Oblomov enthusiastically starts preparing:
“Ilya Ilyich already had his passport ready, he even ordered a traveling coat for himself and bought a cap.”

Oblomov's love for Olga

Ilya Ilyich's falling in love became the reason for refusing the trip - the new feeling does not allow Oblomov to leave even for short term object of his adoration:

“Oblomov did not leave in a month or three.” Oblomov's move is finally taking place.

Ilya Ilyich does not experience stress - his thoughts are occupied by Olga Ilyinskaya:
“Tarantiev moved his entire house to his godfather, in an alley, on Vyborg side».

Oblomov fell in love for the first time. He is embarrassed by his feelings, does not know what to do and how he should behave towards his beloved:
“Oh my God, how pretty she is! There are such things in the world! - he thought, looking at her almost with frightened eyes».

Oblomov is a sensual, impulsive person, succumbing to emotions, he confesses his love to Olga:
“I feel... not music... but... love.”

Oblomov is not known for his bravery - in difficult situations he flees. This seems better to him than saying or doing something out of place: “without looking back, he ran out of the rooms.”

Ilya Ilyich is a conscientious person, he worries that his actions or words could provoke unpleasant experiences among those people who are dear to him:
“I was tormented by the fact that he scared and insulted her”
Oblomov is a very emotional person, he is not used to hiding his feelings
“... I’m not ashamed of my heart.”

The emerging Love for Olga became the reason not only for his physical, but also mental activity. He begins to actively read books because his beloved likes to listen to retellings of books, and visits the theater and opera. He behaves like a true romantic - he takes walks in nature, gives Olga flowers:
“He is with Olga from morning to evening; he reads with her, sends flowers, walks along the lake, in the mountains.”

Inactivity and fear of change played a cruel joke on Oblomov. The uncertainty that arose between Oblomov and Ilyinskaya became painful for the girl. Olga is afraid that Oblomov will not keep his word and not marry her, because he always has many excuses for postponing the wedding. Oblomov can’t even decide to ask for the girl’s hand in marriage. This leads to a breakdown in relationships:
“I loved the future Oblomov! You are meek and honest, Ilya; you are gentle... dove; you hide your head under your wing - and don’t want anything more; you are ready to coo under the roof all your life.”

Oblomov returns to his usual life. Passivity and the absence of any activity other than lying on the sofa and eating food have a bad effect on his health - Oblomov receives an apoplexy:
“they bled and then announced that it was an apoplexy and that he needed to lead a different lifestyle.”

Despite everything, Oblomov does not change his habits. Ilya Ilyich perceives Stolz’s arrival with enthusiasm, but no longer succumbs to his persuasion to change his life. He is happy: he fell in love with the mistress of the house, who does not demand anything from him and takes care of him like a child:
“Don’t make vain attempts, don’t persuade me: I’ll stay here.”

The fact that Pshenitsyna ( new love Oblomov) is not a noblewoman, does not allow him to confess true reasons refusal to leave St. Petersburg: “Leave me completely... forget me...”

Stolz is periodically interested in the fate of Oblomov. On his last visit to his friend, Andrei learns terrifying news - Oblomov lives with Pshenitsyna as his wife, they have a child together. Oblomov realizes that he will not live long and asks his friend to take care of his son:
“...this child is my son! His name is Andrey, in memory of you.”4.7 (93.33%) 3 votes