Middle-aged socialite, recalls the events of past years. Then he was only twenty-five, and he had just “broken free” by going abroad to study. Wanting to see the world, N.N. traveled without a plan, made new acquaintances and just watched different people. He did not consider it necessary to visit cultural monuments or attractions. One day he stopped in a quiet German town on the left bank of the Rhine. At that time, he was a little sad because of his recent crush. This was a young widow whom he met on the waters, but she preferred the Bavarian lieutenant to him. While he was indulging in sadness and loneliness, on the other side of the Rhine a student party, the so-called “commersch”, was taking place.
N.N. I also decided to attend the party and watch the students. Suddenly he heard Russian speech in the crowd. Someone approached a girl named Asya. He met young people. The guy introduced himself as Gagin, and his sister’s name was Anna, but he preferred to call her Asya. Despite the fact that N.N. tried not to meet his compatriots abroad, he liked Gagin. New acquaintances invited him to visit them. They were adorable. At first, Asya was shy of the guest, but then she herself approached him with conversations. When it was time to say goodbye, N.N. I realized that I haven’t felt this happy for a long time.
The next day they meet again. Gagin shares with N.N. with his views on life, and he, in turn, talks about his recent unhappy love. It turns out that Gagina is fascinated by art. He shows his new friend his unfinished sketches. In the process of communication, Asya turns out to be a rather eccentric girl. She likes to surprise others and for this she is ready to play various pranks. Maybe, for example, she could run away somewhere to be looked for, or buy a glass of water to water roadside plants, climb high ruins to scare her companions, etc. It changed from day to day. One day she behaved well, the next - like a playful child, the third - simply. N.N. It even began to seem that she was somehow unnatural. Over time, he realizes that this behavior is caused by shyness.
After some time, she became completely sad, avoided meetings, and Gagin treated her too kindly and condescendingly. N.N. began to think that they were not brother and sister at all, and after one incident he became even more convinced of this. One day he heard Asya telling Gagin that she loved only him and she didn’t want to love anyone else. From this N.N. I felt uneasy. He spends the entire next day in nature, avoiding his new acquaintances. Returning home, he receives a note from Gagin, in which he asks him to come. Gagin warmly greets his friend, Asya, on the contrary, behaves somehow strange and unnatural, then runs away completely. Then Gagin tells him the story of their family.
As it turned out, Gagin’s mother died early, and he was raised by his father. Soon he was sent to study with his uncle in St. Petersburg. There the boy first attended school, and then entered the Guards regiment. During his studies, he was often at home. One day, when he was about twenty years old, he learned that a little orphan girl had settled in their house, whom her father had taken in to “feed.” Soon his father became seriously ill, and Gagin was forced to return to the village. Before his death, the father asked to take care of the girl, since she was his sister. From the servant, Gagin learned that Asya was indeed the daughter of his father and the maid Tatyana. When the girl was only nine years old, her mother died, so Gagin's father took her in with him.
They began to treat Asya like a lady, dress her in silk, and kiss her hands. At first it embarrassed her, as she was used to a simple life, but over time she got used to it. She also gradually became attached to Gagin, and he brought her to St. Petersburg and sent her to a boarding school, because due to his service he could not take her in with him. It was very difficult for her there: no friends, no relatives. She even got sick from being separated from her brother. So four years passed. When Asya turned seventeen, she could no longer stay in the boarding school. Then Gagin decided to resign and go abroad with Asya for two years. Talking about this, Gagin also mentions a conversation that N.N. witnessed the other day. The fact is that Asya has difficulty getting used to strangers. As a rule, she doesn’t like them and seems boring. Therefore, she loves only her brother and is offended if he devotes little time to her.
After the conversation with Gagin, N.N. it became easy. Asya also cheered up. She even danced a waltz with him, which he later remembered for a long time. It turned out that she waltzes beautifully. The next day, Asya was slightly thoughtful and gloomy, even talking about death. She asked N.N. what a woman should be like for a man to love her, and asked to always be frank with her in everything. On the way home, he wondered if she was in love with him. His suspicions were confirmed when he received a note from Asya asking him to meet. In addition, Gagin came and said that Asya admitted yesterday that she was in love. That’s why she got sick, doesn’t eat anything and asks Gagin to take her away.
N.N. admitted to Gagin that Asya had sent him a note. He, believing that his friend was not going to get married, asked him to tell Asya everything as it is. After this N.N. received another note about a change of meeting place. When he arrived, Frau Louise took him to Asya. The girl was trembling all over. Succumbing to her charm, he hugged and kissed her. Then he remembered Gagina and scolded her for telling him everything. She said that she called him to say goodbye, to which he replied that by doing this she was killing a feeling that had just begun to ripen. Thus, he wanted to somehow reason with her, but Asya just burst into tears and ran away.
He leaves, wanders alone for a long time and scolds himself for losing such a wonderful girl. Arriving at the Gagins in the evening, N.N. does not find Asya. He and Gagin immediately set off to look for her. They walk around the entire shore without finding her. N.N. He reproaches himself for everything and realizes that he himself loves Asya. When they return, they find her at home. He decides to ask Gagin for her hand, but since it is already very late, he postpones his proposal until tomorrow. The next morning he comes to the Gagins, but is told that the inhabitants have already left. Gagin left him a letter in which he said goodbye and apologized. And the note from Asya, which Frau Louise gave him, said that one word from him could change everything, but it was too late, which means it’s better this way.
After this N.N. I looked for the Gagins everywhere for a long time, but to no avail. And I’ve never met girls like Asya anywhere else. He carried his longing for her throughout his life, never getting married.
N.N., a middle-aged socialite, recalls a story that happened when he was twenty-five years old. N.N. then traveled without a goal and without a plan, and on his way he stopped in the quiet German town of N. One day, N.N., coming to a student party, met two Russians in the crowd - a young artist who called himself Gagin, and his sister Anna , whom Gagin called Asya. N.N. avoided Russians abroad, but he immediately liked his new acquaintance. Gagin invited N.N. to his home, to the apartment in which he and his sister were staying. N.N. was fascinated by his new friends. At first Asya was shy of N.N., but soon she started talking to him. Evening came, it was time to go home. Leaving the Gagins, N.N. felt happy.
Many days have passed. Asya's pranks were varied, every day she seemed new, different - now a well-bred young lady, now a playful child, now a simple girl. N.N. regularly visited the Gagins. Some time later, Asya stopped playing pranks, looked sad, avoided N.N. Gagin treated her kindly and condescendingly, and N.N.’s suspicion grew stronger that Gagin was not Asya’s brother. A strange incident confirmed his suspicions. One day N.N. accidentally overheard a conversation between the Gagins, in which Asya told Gagin that she loved him and did not want to love anyone else. N.N. was very bitter.
N.N. spent the next few days in nature, avoiding the Gagins. But a few days later he found a note at home from Gagin, who asked him to come. Gagin met N.N. in a friendly manner, but Asya, seeing the guest, burst out laughing and ran away. Then Gagin told his friend the story of his sister.
Gagin's parents lived in their village. After the death of Gagin's mother, his father raised his son himself. But one day Gagin’s uncle arrived and decided that the boy should study in St. Petersburg. The father resisted, but gave in, and Gagin entered school, and then into the guards regiment. Gagin came often and once, when he was twenty years old, he saw a little girl Asya in his house, but did not pay any attention to her, having heard from her father that she was an orphan and was taken by him “to feed.”
Gagin did not visit his father for a long time and was only receiving letters from him, when suddenly one day news arrived about his fatal illness. Gagin arrived and found his father dying. He bequeathed to his son to take care of his daughter, Gagin’s sister Asya. Soon the father died, and the servant told Gagin that Asya was the daughter of Gagin’s father and the maid Tatyana. Gagin's father became very attached to Tatyana and even wanted to marry her, but Tatyana did not consider herself a lady and lived with her sister along with Asya. When Asya was nine years old, she lost her mother. Her father took her into the house and raised her himself. She was ashamed of her origin and at first was afraid of Gagin, but then she fell in love with him. He also became attached to her, brought her to St. Petersburg and, no matter how bitter it was for him to do this, sent her to a boarding school. She had no friends there, the young ladies didn’t like her, but now she’s seventeen, she finished studying, and they went abroad together. And so... she plays pranks and fools around as before...
After N. N. Gagin’s story, it became easy. Asya, who met them in the room, suddenly asked Gagin to play them a waltz, and N.N. and Asya danced for a long time. Asya waltzed beautifully, and N.N. remembered this dance for a long time.
The whole next day Gagin, N.N. and Asya were together and having fun like children, but the next day Asya was pale, she said that she was thinking about her death. Everyone except Gagin was sad.
One day N.N. was brought a note from Asya, in which she asked him to come. Soon Gagin came to N.N. and said that Asya was in love with N.N. Yesterday she had a fever all evening, she did not eat anything, cried and admitted that she loved N.N. She wants to leave...
N.N. told a friend about the note that Asya sent him. Gagin understood that his friend would not marry Asa, so they agreed that N.N. would honestly explain to her, and Gagin would sit at home and not show that he knew about the note.
Gagin left, and N.N.’s head was spinning. Another note informed N.N. about the change in the place of their meeting with Asya. Arriving at the appointed place, he saw the hostess, Frau Louise, who led him to the room where Asya was waiting.
Asya was trembling. N.N. hugged her, but immediately remembered Gagina and began to blame Asya for telling her brother everything. Asya listened to his speech and suddenly burst into tears. N.N. was confused, and she rushed to the door and disappeared.
N.N. rushed around the city in search of Asya. He was gnawing at himself. After thinking, he headed to the Gagins’ house. Gagin came out to meet him, concerned that Asya was still not there. N.N. looked for Asya all over the city, he repeated a hundred times that he loved her, but could not find her anywhere. However, approaching the Gagins’ house, he saw light in Asya’s room and calmed down. He made a firm decision - tomorrow to go and ask for Asya’s hand. N.N. was happy again.
The next day, N.N. saw a maid at the house, who said that the owners had left, and gave him a note from Gagin, where he wrote that he was convinced of the need for separation. When N.N. walked past Frau Louise’s house, she gave him a note from Asya, where she wrote that if N.N. had said one word, she would have stayed. But apparently it's better this way...
N.N. looked for the Gagins everywhere, but did not find them. He knew many women, but the feeling awakened in him by Asya never happened again. N.N. remained longing for her for the rest of his life.
Have you read summary stories by Asya. We also suggest that you visit the section of our website Summary to familiarize yourself with the statements of other popular writers.
The story “Asya” by I.S. Turgenev is not so long, but schoolchildren still need a summary for a number of reasons.
The touching short story will tell about love, and will also help schoolchildren in creating reader's diary based on this classic work.
A brief retelling of each chapter will help the reader build the correct structure of the entire text and give a complete picture of the story.
About the story "Asya"
The plot of the story may seem a little naive, a little simple, but endlessly lyrical. The story of a very young girl touches the reader’s soul with its purity and innocence of girlish dreams.
The main characters of the story "Asya"
Mr. N.N. - the author, aka main character stories. This is a young man noble birth. Cheerful and hot.
Unlimited in funds, he travels around Europe in the spirit of the time. After an unfulfilled romance with a pretty widow, the main character decides to retire to the small town of Z. on the banks of the Rhine in Germany in order to completely surrender to his melancholy.
Asya is a young girl of seventeen years old, just a child. She is short, slender, with dark hair and dark skin. She is dexterous, sometimes with the habits of a mischievous boy. Although her father was a noble nobleman, her daughter was born out of wedlock, from a maid deceased wife Tatyana's father.
The girl was brought up by her father in a noble house only after the death of her mother. I did not have time to receive a decent upbringing and education. The father also soon died and the very young girl was left in the care of her half-brother Gagin. He soon took his sister to St. Petersburg and placed her in a noble boarding school, where she stayed for 4 years.
Gagin, the author does not mention his name, is a handsome young man with soft features and pleasant to talk to. His mother died early, and he was raised by his father until he was 12 years old in the village, after which he left to study and serve in St. Petersburg with his uncle. Their father, on his deathbed, told his son that Asya was his half-sister and bequeathed his 20-year-old son to take care of her.
My sister was 13 years old at the time. Gagin was completely confused about how he could continue to live with his sister suddenly appearing in his arms. When the young girl could no longer stay in the boarding house, Gagin decided to leave the service and go abroad for a year or two with his sister.
Other characters in the story by I.S. Turgenev "Asya"
The main characters live in almost complete solitude, so minor characters there's not much in the story.
Frau Louise is the old wife of the late burgomaster, living in the city of L., where the main action of the story takes place. The main character visited her and even had a confidential relationship with her. The author does not explain what connected the young girl with the old German woman.
The boatman, the boy with notes from Asya, the maid in the Gagins’ house, the girl Gankhen from the pub are completely episodic characters, whose characters the author does not reveal.
“Asya” - summary by chapter
Chapter 1
The author begins the story with a story about himself, how he ended up in the small German town of Z. Traveling without a goal and enjoying the “gingerbread” of youth, the author loves most of all to observe people.
So he ends up in the city of Z., where he seeks solitude with a broken widow’s heart. The author admits that his love suffering was rather far-fetched, and temporary solitude is only part of the journey.
So, one day sitting on the banks of the Rhine, N. hears the sounds of music - they are playing a waltz. He learns from a passer-by that the students have arrived in the city of L. for a commercial meeting - a meeting of students of the same fraternity. N. decides to go to the city of L. to look at this business.
Chapter 2
Students in traditional costumes gather and feast until the morning. So in the city of L. they gathered in the city garden and ordered an orchestra. Residents of the city crowded together to gawk at the visiting youth. N. was interested in being in the crowd and watching new faces.
Suddenly he heard Russian speech right next to him. This is how he met Gagin and Asya - they also came to business. N. immediately liked them, although he did not believe that they were brother and sister - they were very different.
When Gagin went to accompany N. to the river, his sister suddenly overtook them and agreed with the carrier about the crossing. They agreed to meet the next day and the author went home happy.
Chapter 3
The next morning, Gagin came to N. early. Over coffee, N. told him the story of his unhappy love for a widow, and Gagin said that he was interested in painting and offered to look at his sketches.
N. Agreed, and they set off across the river. Sisters young man was not at home. The maid said that she went to the ruins. Gagin showed his drawings - lively and sweeping, but all unfinished. He himself admitted to N. that laziness was bothering him. They decided to go find Asya.
Chapter 4
Gagin and N. immediately found the girl in the ruins of the old fortress. She, as if wanting to surprise them, jumped along the rocky slopes over the abyss.
N. admired her dexterity, but at the same time he was annoyed at such childishness.
Gagin accidentally made a slip about his lady love N., and Asya became thoughtful. Returning home, she skillfully played a new role at dinner - a decent and well-bred young lady. After dinner, the mischievous girl asked her brother to go see Frau Louise.
N. realized that he had become attached to Gagin, and on that day they finally got together. Gagin went to see N. off and they went to Frau Louise to pick up Asya. She threw them a geranium branch from the window of the house, joking that she was N.’s lady love.
Returning home, N. thought for a long time with vexation about this spoiled girl, full of doubts whether she was Gagin’s sister.
Chapter 5
The next day, in the morning, N. went to the Gagins again, secretly wanting to see if Asya would be weird this time too. But she, modestly dressed, sat sewing. Gagin was going to go draw sketches from life and N. went with him.
After spending the whole day in nature in an enthusiastic conversation, Gagin and N. returned home. Asya was in the same mood and went home early. This time N. did not notice a shadow of coquetry in her.
N. went home and fell asleep, thinking about the girl and her changeable temper. N. could not believe that Asya was Gagin’s sister.
Chapter 6
Over the next two weeks, N. visited the Gagins every day. Asya no longer indulged in pranks and was diligent. N. noted the difference in the upbringing of his brother and sister. N. noticed that Gagin did not treat the girl like a brother, he was too affectionate.
Once N., having come to see his new friends, accidentally overheard their conversation in the garden, where Asya passionately convinced Gagin that she didn’t want to love anyone else, only him. N. ran home, not wanting to give himself away.
His guesses were confirmed, but N. did not understand why they were fooling him with the story about his brother and sister.
Chapter 7
The next morning N. went hiking in the mountains. He did not want to see the Gagins. So N. wandered around the surrounding area for three days, enjoying the tranquility. N. even tried to resurrect the image of a widow in his soul, but nothing worked - the feelings passed completely.
He didn't remember her anymore. Upon returning home, N. found a note from Gagin, who was surprised why N. left and did not take him with him and asked him to immediately come to them.
Chapter 8
The next morning N. went to the city of L. Gagin was glad to see him, but N. was tense and the conversation did not go well. Asya was at home and behaved unnaturally - she either laughed for no reason, or ran away. This bothered N. even more and he, citing business, announced that he needed to go home.
Gagin went across the Rhine with N. to see him off. Here Gagin told Asya’s story - about her origin, about their father, about why her sister did not receive a decent upbringing, about the girl’s life in a boarding school after the death of her father, and about his decision to go with her on a trip to Europe.
Gagin asked not to judge his sister harshly and said that she values N.’s opinion very much, although she does not show it. N. asked if Asya had any hobbies with men, but Gagin assured that she had never liked anyone before. N.’s soul felt light and they returned together again to L., to the Gagins’ house.
Chapter 9
The main character greeted them silently. N. looked at her with different eyes.
While Gagin was analyzing the sketches, N. invited Asya to take a walk in the garden. And she happily agreed.
They chatted about N.'s trip to the mountains, about why N. was upset at last visit, and why the girl laughs for no reason.
Asya asked about N.’s lady love, but he said that there was no lady and he didn’t like anyone.
The young girl stopped being shy and suggested they go dance a waltz, and let Gagin play for them. They waltzed and N. noticed how the feminine principle emerged in her through her girlish severity.
Chapter 10
The whole day was simple and fun. N. left late and wanted to take a boat ride down the Rhine. Looking at the starry sky and the black depths of the river, a new feeling arose in N. - a thirst for happiness, happiness to the point of satiety.
Chapter 11
The next day N. went to the Gagins happy. I was glad to be getting closer to Asya. But when N. came to them, he found the girl dressed up, but sad. And Gagin was in a creative mood and painted the picture in a sweeping manner.
N. did not interfere with him and started a conversation with Asya. She was worried about her education, he complained that she didn’t sleep well and kept thinking that she wasn’t good enough. The girl asked N. if he wouldn’t be bored with her like this. N. replied that he would not, and Asya hotly squeezed his hand. Then she left the room.
Chapter 12
Returning to N. and her brother an hour later, Asya admitted to N. that she was tormented by thoughts that she would soon die. All day she was preoccupied and sad, and at parting she promised N. to always tell him only the truth.
Gagin offered to play them a waltz like yesterday, but Asya flatly refused. N. went home thinking that Asya had fallen in love with him.
Chapter 13
The next day N. woke up with the question “does she really love me?” The image of the “girl with a forced laugh” was ingrained in his soul. N. went to L., but saw Asya only briefly the whole day. She was not feeling well and was lying at home. N. returned home late.
The next day N. was wandering around the city when a boy approached him and handed him a note from Asya. She called him to come to the stone chapel at four o'clock. N. told the messenger what would happen.
Chapter 14
Excited N. returned home and then Gagin came to him. He was excited and told N. that Asya was in love with him. Gagin reported that Asya had a fever at night and in the fever she admitted that she loved N. and asked to take her away as soon as possible if he wanted her to stay alive.
Gagin spoke about the girl’s fears, that N. despises her and is afraid that N. knows her story of ignoble origin. Asya asked her brother if he had told N. everything about her. Gagin did not confess and promised to take her away tomorrow, and only then did she fall asleep. But first I decided to come to N. and find out if he liked Asya. N. said that he liked it, but it was still impossible to talk about marriage.
N. admitted that he received a note from the girl and showed it. They agreed that N. would go on a date, and Gagin would sit at home, as if he knew nothing, and would meet in the evening. N. asked to be given until the evening to decide whether he would marry his sister or not.
Chapter 15
At the appointed time, N. arrived in L. and there he was again met by a boy with a note. Asya made an appointment in an hour and a half with Frau Louise. N. went to have a beer and was thinking about a date. He thought that just recently he had been dreaming of happiness, but now he was ready to push it away.
N. decided that he could not marry Asa and would not say that he loved her too. With such thoughts, N. went to Frau Louise. The old woman met him downstairs and took him to the third floor, where Asya was already waiting for him.
Chapter 16
Asya sat in the twilight and was afraid to even look at N. She could not speak. N. took her cold hand and saw her eyes - “the look of a woman who fell in love.”
N. could not restrain himself and pressed his lips to her hands, and when he raised his head, he saw that Asya’s face had changed.
The fear disappeared, she was transformed. He pulled her towards him, her shawl fell to the floor and Asya whispered one word, “Yours.”
Suddenly N. remembered Gagin and told the girl that her brother knew everything, that he came to N. and saw the note.
Asya said that she called him to say goodbye before leaving. N. feverishly said that the feeling had just arisen, but she was leaving, and they had to part.
N. accused Asya of haste and carelessness. She began to sob and then disappeared from the room.
N. did not have time to say the most important thing and stood amazed. Then he also left the room.
Chapter 17
N. walked deliriously across the field and thought about what he had done, how he had offended Asya with his reproaches. The words “Yours” burned him and he called himself crazy. N. went to the Gagins’ house.
Chapter 18
Gagin met N. on the threshold and said that Asya had not appeared. N. said that he explained to her as agreed, and she left. The young people went to look for Asya, deciding to split up. It's already dark.
Chapter 19
N. ran around the city looking for Asya. He ran to the Rhine, looked for her on the shore and felt love for Asa. He screamed and called her loudly. He shouted that he loved her and they would never part. N. was scared to think what Asya could have done to herself, but decided to go to the house to find out if Gagin had found her.
Chapter 20
Approaching the house, N. saw a light in the girl’s room. Her brother looked out of the house and said that she was back and everything was fine. N. I wanted to talk to him, tell him about my feelings and ask for his sister’s hand in marriage.
But Gagin said that it was better to meet tomorrow, and they said goodbye. N. returned home inspired. He anticipated happiness.
Chapter 21
The next morning, N., approaching the Gagins’ house, noticed something was wrong - all the windows and doors were open. The maid said that they left early in the morning and gave N. a letter from Gagin.
He wrote that he respected his prejudices and understood that N. could not marry his sister. The girl's brother asked not to look for them.
N. was furious and decided to immediately find them. N. learned that they had sailed along the Rhine to Cologne. On his way home to get his things, N. passed by Frau Louise’s house. She called out to him and handed him a note from Asya. In it, the girl said goodbye to N. forever and said that when they met yesterday she wanted to hear only one word from him, but did not hear it.
N. reproached himself for not saying this word to her, but then squandered it to the wind when he was looking for her on the shore. N. realized that Asya could not bear such a blow and therefore left; there was no coquetry in this.
On the same day N. sailed to Cologne.
Chapter 22
In Cologne, N. learned that the Gagins had gone to London. I went after them, but in London their trace disappeared.
N. was not sad for Asya for long and consoled himself with the thought that he would not be happy with such a wife. N. thought that love would come even stronger, but he was mistaken.
The feeling excited by the girl was the most tender and did not happen again. N. never started a family and all that he had left of Asya was a dried geranium flower and a note.
Conclusion
Turgenev's story shows the fragile world of girlish dreams, which creates a unique image - the image of the “Turgenev young lady”. To this day, this image portrays to us the meekness, innocence and purity of youth.
- Asya (Anna) — main character, the daughter of a landowner and a maid. When she became an orphan, her paternal half-brother, Gagin, took her in to raise her. He has a changeable character and spontaneity.
- N.N.- a young man prone to daydreaming and sublime feelings. Kind, but indecisive. Asya is in love with him and he has mutual feelings for the girl.
- Gagin- Asya’s half-brother, a military man who once wanted to take up painting. When he retired, he began traveling with his sister.
Other heroes
- Young widow- it is known only from the words of N.N. himself. A frivolous person, she broke the heart of the main character, giving her preference to another.
- Frau Louise- an old widow, very kind, very attached to Asa.
N.N. talks about his unhappy love and meeting Asya
Mr. N.N. 45 years old and he tells a story that happened to him 20 years ago. Then he was young, handsome, wealthy and had already fallen in love. True, his first feeling remained unanswered: the young widow preferred someone else to him. In search of solace, he leaves the country and stops in one town.
During one of his walks, N.N. heard music. Intrigued, he crosses to the other side. There, a young man makes acquaintance with Russians who turn out to be brother and sister. Gagin immediately produced pleasant experience on N.N. with his benevolent appearance. Asya made an impression charming girl. They invited a new friend to dinner. Returning to his place, N.N. is in a joyful mood.
Asya on the ruins
Gagin comes to visit the hero and they have a heartfelt conversation. When they came to Gagin, they were informed that Asya was in ruins. N.N. I was surprised that the girl wanted to attract their attention in such a childish way. Later, she decides to visit Frau Louise. N.N. has doubts that Asya and Gagin are relatives.
Sudden confession
N.N. I recognized Asya more and more. Despite the fact that she was well educated, he noticed a slight “wildness” in her manners. The young man continued to doubt their relationship. One day N.N. I accidentally heard Asya talking about love to her brother.
The mystery of Asya's origin
After this incident, relations became strained. Gagin tells N.N. family history. Asya is his half-sister, the daughter of a landowner and a maid. The girl was ashamed of her origin and felt awkward with her brother. But gradually she gets used to it. After Gagin finished his military career, he took his sister with him and went traveling. N.N. unexpectedly realizes that he is attracted to Asa not only by her unusual character, but also by her bright soul.
N.N. falls in love with Asya
Young people are spending more and more time with each other. Asya tells N.N. that she would like to be Tatyana Larina. As they waltz, the young man notices the girl's feminine side. N.N. experiences conflicting feelings - anxiety and happiness at the same time. The girl's mood becomes changeable, she is afraid of seeming frivolous. N.N. trying to understand how she feels about him. When he comes to visit the Gagins, Asya says that she is unwell. When N.N. was walking alone, they brought him a note from a girl in which she wrote about her desire to meet him.
N.N. finds out the truth about Asya's feelings
Gagin comes to him and tells him that his sister confessed to him that she loves N.N. Asya is afraid that, having learned about her origin, the young man will despise her. Brother and sister decide to leave the city. Gagin is sure that N.N. will not take Asya as his wife. He admits that he cares about her and asks for time to think. A young man comes to Frau Louise, in whose house a girl is waiting for him, with the firm intention not to marry her and not to tell her about his love.
The date and its consequences
N.N. tells Asya that her brother knows everything and they need to separate. The girl falls to her knees and cries, but then suddenly runs away. The young man walked around the city for a long time and blamed himself for what he said to her. He realizes how dear she is to him and goes to the Gagins. But the girl is not in the house, and she and her brother go in search of her. N.N. calls Asya, shouts words of love to her, but she never appears. He decides to go to the Gagins again.
The decision to get married and the sudden departure
N.N. sees that the light is on in Asya’s room. Gagin tells him that she is fine. The young man decided to propose to the girl, he was happy. The next day he is informed that they left the city, and Gagin left a letter for him. He asks not to be offended by their departure and writes that he understands why N.N. couldn't do otherwise.
Frau Louise gives him a note written by Asya. In despair, N.N. tries to find them, gets to London, but could not find them. Then there were hobbies in his life, but he no longer experienced the feeling that he had for Asa.
Test based on the story Asya
Almost every famous Russian classic in his work turned to this literary genre As a story, its main characteristics are an average volume between a novel and a short story, one developed plot line, and a small number of characters. The famous prose writer of the 19th century, Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, more than once throughout his entire career literary activity turned to this genre.
One of his most famous works, written in the genre love lyrics, is the story “Asya”, which is also often classified as an elegiac genre of literature. Here readers find not only beautiful landscape sketches and a subtle, poetic description of feelings, as well as some lyrical motifs smoothly turning into plot ones. During the writer's lifetime, the story was translated and published in many European countries and enjoyed great popularity among readers both in Russia and abroad.
History of writing
Turgenev began writing the story “Asya” in July 1857 in Germany, in the city of Sinzeg on the Rhine, where the events described in the book take place. Having finished the book in November of the same year (writing the story was a little delayed due to the author’s illness and overwork), Turgenev sent the work to the editors of the Russian magazine Sovremennik, in which it had long been awaited and published in early 1858.
According to Turgenev himself, he was inspired to write the story by a fleeting picture he saw in Germany: an elderly woman looks out from the window of a house on the first floor, and the silhouette of a young girl can be seen in the window of the second floor. The writer, thinking about what he saw, comes up with a possible fate for these people and thus creates the story “Asya”.
According to many literary critics, this story was of a personal nature for the author, since it was based on some events that took place in real life Turgenev, and the images of the main characters have a clear connection both with the author himself and with his immediate circle (the prototype for Asya could have been the fate of his illegitimate daughter Polina Brewer or his half-sister V.N. Zhitova, also born out of wedlock, Mr. N .N., on whose behalf the story is told in “Ace”, has character traits and a similar fate to the author himself).
Analysis of the work
Plot development
The description of the events that took place in the story is written on behalf of a certain N.N., whose name the author leaves unknown. The narrator recalls his youth and his stay in Germany, where on the banks of the Rhine he meets his compatriot from Russia Gagin and his sister Anna, whom he takes care of and calls Asya. The young girl, with her eccentric actions, constantly changing disposition and amazing attractive appearance, impresses N.N. is very impressed and he wants to know as much as possible about her.
Gagin tells him difficult fate Asi: She is his illegitimate half-sister, born from his father's affair with the maid. After the death of her mother, her father took thirteen-year-old Asya to his place and raised her as befits a young lady from a good society. After the death of her father, Gagin becomes her guardian, first sends her to a boarding house, then they go to live abroad. Now N.N., knowing the unclear social status a girl who was born to a serf mother and a landowner father understands what caused Asya’s nervous tension and her slightly eccentric behavior. He feels deeply sorry for the unfortunate Asya, and he begins to experience tender feelings for the girl.
Asya, like Pushkin’s Tatyana, writes a letter to Mr. N.N. asking for a date, he, unsure of his feelings, hesitates and makes a promise to Gagin not to accept his sister’s love, because he is afraid to marry her. The meeting between Asya and the narrator is chaotic, Mr. N.N. reproaches her for confessing her feelings for him to her brother and now they cannot be together. Asya runs away in confusion, N.N. realizes that he really loves the girl and wants to return her, but cannot find her. The next day, having come to the Gagins' house with the firm intention of asking for the girl's hand in marriage, he learns that Gagin and Asya have left the city, he tries to find them, but all his efforts are in vain. Never again in his life N.N. does not meet Asya and her brother, and at the end of his life path he realizes that although he had other hobbies, he truly loved only Asya and he still keeps the dried flower that she once gave him.
Main characters
The main character of the story, Anna, whom her brother calls Asya, is a young girl with an unusual attractive appearance (a thin boyish figure, short curly hair, wide-open eyes bordered by long and fluffy eyelashes), a spontaneous and noble character, distinguished by an ardent temperament and a difficult, tragic fate. Born from an extramarital affair between a maid and a landowner, and raised by her mother in severity and obedience, after her death she cannot get used to her life for a long time. new role ladies. She perfectly understands her false position, therefore she does not know how to behave in society, she is shy and shy of everyone, and at the same time she proudly wants no one to pay attention to her origin. Left early alone without parental attention and left to her own devices, Asya begins to think about the contradictions in life that surround her.
The main character of the story, like others female images Turgenev's works are distinguished by amazing purity of soul, morality, sincerity and openness of feelings, a craving for strong feelings and experiences, a desire to perform feats and great deeds for the benefit of people. It is on the pages of this story that the concept of Turgenev’s young lady and Turgenev’s feeling of love, common to all heroines, appears, which for the author is akin to a revolution invading the lives of the heroes, testing their feelings for perseverance and ability to survive in difficult living conditions.
Mr. N.N.
The main male character and narrator of the story, Mr. N.N., has the features of a new literary type, which Turgenev replaced the “extra people” type. This hero completely lacks the typical “ extra person» conflict with the outside world. He is an absolutely calm and prosperous person with a balanced and harmonious self-organization, easily amenable to vivid impressions and feelings, all his experiences are simple and natural, without falsehood or pretense. In love experiences, this hero strives for peace of mind, which would be intertwined with their aesthetic completeness.
After meeting Asya, his love becomes more intense and contradictory, in last moment the hero cannot completely surrender to feelings, because they are overshadowed by the disclosure of the secrets of feelings. Later, he cannot immediately tell Asya’s brother that he is ready to marry her, because he does not want to disturb his overwhelming feeling of happiness, and also fearing future changes and the responsibility that he will have to take for someone else’s life. All this leads to a tragic outcome: after his betrayal, he loses Asya forever and it is too late to correct the mistakes he made. He has lost his love, rejected the future and the very life he could have had, and pays for it throughout his entire joyless and loveless existence.
Features of compositional construction
Genre of this work refers to an elegiac story, the basis of which is a description of love experiences and melancholic reflections on the meaning of life, regret about unfulfilled dreams and sadness about the future. The work is based on beautiful story love that ended in tragic separation. The composition of the story is based on classic model: the beginning of the plot - a meeting with the Gagin family, the development of the plot - the rapprochement of the main characters, the emergence of love, the climax - a conversation between Gagin and N.N. about Asya’s feelings, denouement - a date with Asya, explanation of the main characters, the Gagin family leaves Germany, epilogue - Mr. N.N. reflects on the past, regrets unfulfilled love. The highlight of this work is Turgenev’s use of ancient literary device plot framing, when a narrator is introduced into the narrative and the motivation for his actions is given. Thus, the reader receives a “story within a story” designed to enhance the meaning of the story being told.
In his critical article“Russian Man at a Rendezvous” Chernyshevsky sharply condemns the indecision and petty timid egoism of Mr. N.N., whose image is slightly softened by the author in the epilogue of the work. Chernyshevsky, on the contrary, without choosing expressions, sharply condemns the act of Mr. N.N. and pronounces his verdict on those who are the same as him. The story "Asya", thanks to the depth of its content, has become a real pearl in literary heritage the great Russian writer Ivan Turgenev. Great writer like no one else, he was able to convey his philosophical reflections and thoughts about the destinies of people, about that time in the life of every person when his actions and words can forever change it for the better or for the worse.