I. A. Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” was published in 1859, at a time when the issue of abolition of serfdom was extremely acute in the country, when Russian society has already fully realized the destructiveness of the existing order. Deep knowledge of life and accuracy of social analysis of characters allowed the writer to find amazing correct definition The way of Russian life of that time was “Oblomovism”.
Main task the author in the novel - to show how a person gradually dies in a person, how unadapted a landowner is to life, not accustomed to doing anything. The main qualities of the kind, sweet Ilya Ilyich Oblomov are his inertia, apathy, and aversion to any activity. True to the traditions of realism, I. A. Goncharov shows that these qualities were the result of Oblomov’s upbringing; they were born from the confidence that any of his desires would be fulfilled and no effort needed to be made for this. Oblomov is a nobleman, he does not have to work for a piece of Bread - hundreds of Zakharov serfs work for him on the estate and completely ensure his existence. This means that he can lie on the couch all day long, not because he is tired, but because “this was his normal state.” He almost merged with his soft, comfortable robe and long, wide shoes, which he masterfully slipped into the first time, as soon as he dangled his feet from the sofa.
In his youth, Oblomov “was full of all sorts of aspirations, hopes, he expected a lot from fate and himself, he was always preparing for some field, for some role.” But time passed, and Ilya Ilyich was still getting ready, getting ready to start new life, but made no progress towards any goal. In Moscow he received good education, but his head “was like a library, consisting of only knowledge scattered in parts.” Entering the service, which had previously seemed to him in the form of some kind of family occupation, he did not even imagine that life would immediately be divided into two halves for him, one of which would consist of work and boredom, which for him were synonymous, and the other - from peace and peaceful fun. He realized that “it would take at least an earthquake to prevent a healthy person from coming to work,” and therefore he soon resigned, then stopped going out into the world and completely shut himself up in his room. If Oblomov recognizes some kind of work, it is only the work of the soul, since dozens of generations of his ancestors “endured labor as a punishment imposed on our forefathers, but they could not love, and where there was a chance, they always got rid of it, finding it possible and due."
There were moments in Oblomov’s life when he thought about the reasons that prompted him to lead such a life, when he asked himself the question: “Why am I like this?” In the climactic chapter of the novel “Oblomov’s Dream,” the writer answers this question. He creates a picture of provincial landowner life and shows how lazy hibernation gradually becomes the normal state of a person.
In a dream, Oblomov is transported to his parents’ estate Oblomovka, “a blessed corner of the earth,” where there is “no sea, no high mountains, rocks, abysses, no dense forests - there is nothing grandiose, wild and gloomy.” An idyllic picture appears before us, a series of beautiful landscapes. “The annual circle is performed there correctly and calmly. Deep silence lies in the fields. Silence and peace of life also reign in the morals of the people in that region,” writes I. A. Goncharov. Oblomov sees himself as a little boy, striving to look into the unknown, ask more questions and get answers. But only caring for food becomes the first and main concern of life in Oblomovka. And the rest of the time is taken up by “some
an all-consuming, invincible dream,” which I. A. Goncharov makes a symbol that characterizes people like Oblomov, and which he calls “the true likeness of death.” From childhood, Ilya was accustomed to the fact that he did not have to do anything, that for any job there was “Vaska, Vanka, Zakharka,” and at some point he himself realized that it was “much calmer” this way. And therefore, all those “seeking manifestations of strength” in Ilyusha “turned inward and sank, withering away.” Such a life deprived the hero of the novel of any initiative and gradually turned him into a slave of his position, his habits, and even a slave of his servant Zakhar.
In his article “What is Oblomovism?” N.A. Dobrolyubov wrote “Oblomov is not a stupid apathetic figure without aspirations and feelings, but a person who is also looking for something in life, thinking about something.” He is endowed with many positive qualities, and not stupid. There is a sad truth in his judgments - also a consequence Russian life. What are all these Sudbinskys, Volkins, Penkovs striving for? Indeed, is it worth getting up from the couch for the sake of the petty fuss that his former comrades are busy with?
In the spirit of the tradition created by Russian writers, I. A. Goncharov subjects his hero to the greatest test - the test of love. A feeling for Olga Ilyinskaya, a girl of enormous spiritual strength, could resurrect Oblomov. But I. A. Goncharov is a realist, and he cannot show happy ending novel. “Why did everything die? Who cursed you, Ilya? What ruined you? - Olga bitterly tries to understand. And the writer gives the answer to these questions, absolutely precisely defining the name of this evil - Oblomovism. And Ilya Ilyich was not the only one to become her victim. “Our name is legion!” - he says to Stolz. And indeed, almost all the heroes of the novel were amazed by “Oblomovism” and became its victims: Zakhar, Agafya Pshenitsyna, Stolz, and Olga.
The greatest merit of I. A. Goncharov is that he surprisingly accurately depicted the disease that struck Russian society mid-19th century, which N.A. Dobrolyubov characterized as “the inability to actively want something,” and pointed to social reasons this phenomenon.
- The personality of one person and a social phenomenon.
- Oblomovism as a disaster for the Russian people.
- Dobrolyubov's opinion on Oblomovism.
The opinions and intentions of one person may be absolutely uninteresting to the majority. But if the actions and opinions of one can be interpreted as a social phenomenon, then they acquire a completely different assessment. Moral and mental turmoil can agitate and anger people. But this is clearly not enough. After all, only real writer can express them in a precise and vivid manner literary work. I would like to dedicate the essay to such a social phenomenon as Oblomovism. This phenomenon, in my opinion, can rightfully be attributed to moral and mental troubles.
Anyone who has read Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” involuntarily thinks about Oblomovism. What is the main character like? Who is he? Unhappy, not knowing how to manage his own life? Or, on the contrary, a lucky person who defends his own position all his life?
We, the readers, certainly feel very sorry for Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. After all, he denies himself such joys, without which life becomes uninteresting. But, on the other hand, he also managed to free himself from secular conventions. And they largely enslave people. Of course, the image of Ilya Oblomov deserves the most close attention. This man did not deny himself anything. He only did what he liked. He didn’t like the job and quickly and easily abandoned it. Of course, Oblomov was largely “lucky”. Or “bad luck”, opinions may differ here. After all, he didn’t need to earn his living. Who knows what Oblomov’s fate would have been like if he had been burdened with the need to take care of his daily bread...
The only activity that Oblomov did not have a negative attitude towards was daydreaming. He dreams with pleasure and taste. The adult Ilya Ilyich recalls with pleasure the children's fairy tales that his nanny told him. He understands that fairy tales will never come true. But they fully correspond to his position in life - refusal to act, intention to immerse himself in an imaginary world.
Oblomov refuses real life, as a result of which he impoverishes his own life, makes it empty and meaningless. In order to better understand the main character, it does not hurt to recall Dobrolyubov’s article “What is Oblomovism.”
The great critic Dobrolyubov, with his characteristic frankness, declares that such qualities as apathy, inertia, and laziness were typical of Russian life. And Dobrolyubov unites all these qualities with the word “Oblomovism.” Of course, not all representatives of the Russian nobility, as well as other social strata, were affected by this “disease,” the name of which is Oblomovism. But nevertheless, we cannot doubt Dobrolyubov’s words. Isn’t it typical for Russian people to want to dream, despite the fact that dreams do not correspond to reality? Or put off “until tomorrow” something that you really don’t want to do at the moment?
For example, Oblomov’s dreams are not only useless, they are very harmful. Main character Romana devotes all her energy to dreams, and as a result receives nothing in return. Dreams are useful only when they correspond to reality to at least some extent.
Dobrolyubov says in his article: “The life he (Goncharov) portrays serves for him not as a means to abstract philosophy, but as a direct goal in itself. He doesn’t care about the reader or the conclusions you draw from the novel: that’s your business. If you make a mistake, blame your myopia, and not the author. He presents you with a living image and vouches only for its resemblance to reality, and then it’s up to you to determine the degree of dignity of the depicted objects - he is completely indifferent to this.”
We see that Dobrolyubov fully approved of Goncharov’s plan. After all, the latter doesn’t invent anything. It shows real life as it is. Oblomov certainly deserves condemnation... If we assume that there are not too many people like Ilya Ilyich, then they do not look dangerous. But what will happen to a society where there are too many such Oblomovs? After all, they, that is, the Oblomovs, not only destroy their own life. They influence those around them, even if not too noticeably. It is because of their daydreaming and inactivity that society is gradually degrading.
From Dobrolyubov’s point of view, Olga Il-inskaya deserves special praise in the novel. From the point of view of the critic, “in her, more than in Stolz, one can see a hint of a new Russian life; One can expect from her a word that will burn and dispel Oblomovism.”
The undoubted advantage of Goncharov is that he was able to portray an accurate and reliable portrait of Oblomov, while making it clear that we are dealing not with an individual person, but with a whole social phenomenon. Of course, any social or moral turmoil does not immediately attract attention. But the true skill of a great writer allows us to better understand and realize all the contradictions that interfere with our lives.
I. A. Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” is a socio-psychological novel, depicting the destructive influence of the noble-landowner environment on human personality. "Oblomov" appeared when serfdom more and more revealed his inadequacy. Goncharov worked on this work for many years. The novel was published in 1859 in the journal Otechestvennye zapiski and immediately attracted the attention of readers.
Goncharov, like few others, managed to touch the most intimate strings of the “Russian soul” with the artist’s pen. The writer created a hero who, oddly enough, embodies the main features of the Russian national character, although not in the most attractive form, but at the same time evoking love and sympathy. Goncharov's merit lies in the fact that he revealed the socio-historical reasons for the emergence of such a character as Oblomov. That is why in the novel an important place is occupied by the depiction of the conditions and environment in which the formation of its hero took place.
The writer with amazing depth reproduced the life of a provincial noble estate, the life of middle-class landowners, their psychology, morals, customs, and views. In the chapter "Oblomov's Dream" the author depicts the stillness, the soporific peace and silence of the "peaceful corner". “The annual circle is completed there correctly and calmly”; “neither terrible storms nor destruction can be heard in that region”; “life, like a calm river, flowed past them” such phrases characterize the life of the hero and his environment.
By the age of 32, Ilya Ilyich Oblomov had turned into a “baibak”, an apathetic and inert creature, whose life was limited to an apartment on Gorokhovaya Street, a robe made of Persian fabric and lying on the sofa. This condition kills positive people in Oblomov human qualities, of which there are many. He is honest, humane, smart. The writer more than once emphasizes the “dove’s meekness” in him. Stolz recalls that once, about ten years ago, he had spiritual ideals. He read Rousseau, Schiller, Goethe, Byron, studied mathematics, studied English language, thought about the fate of Russia, wanted to serve his homeland. Stolz reproaches Oblomov: “In this same corner lie your plans to “serve” until you have strength, because Russia needs hands and heads to develop inexhaustible sources.”
The ideological confrontation between Andrei Ivanovich and Ilya Ilyich is one of the main semantic elements of Oblomov. Last meeting two friends mirrors their first meeting in the novel. Their dialogue develops in the following generalized form: Stolz’s questions about health, Oblomov’s complaints, Stolz’s reproaches about his wrong lifestyle, calls for change. But the outcome of the conversation differs significantly: at the beginning of the novel, Ilya Ilyich succumbs to the persuasion of his friend and goes out into the world, but in the finale he remains in his familiar place.
The German Stolz is “constantly on the move.” His credo is active life position, distrust of the “dream, the mysterious, the mysterious.” Stolz's character is associated with the new, bourgeois-entrepreneurial reality and embodies the traits of a businessman. Andrei Ivanovich is hardworking, smart, honest, noble, but he does not work for the sake of high goal, but for the sake of personal success. To Oblomov’s question: “For what are you working?” he finds nothing to say except: “For the work itself, for nothing else.” Stolz is not up to it positive hero, because he is “weak, pale, the idea peeks out too nakedly from him.”
It is very important that we actually look at what is happening through the eyes of Stolz. But this character does not represent at all author's position and he does not convince us of everything. Essentially, Oblomov is a mystery for the author himself.
Oblomov’s tragedy is not in the lack of universal education and not in the desolation of his family estate. The break with Olga Ilyinskaya led to him losing the content of his life. The best moments of Ilya Ilyich’s life were associated with Olga. This loss brings him to the house of Agafya Pshenitsyna. At the end of the novel, Oblomov "...was a complete and natural reflection of peace, contentment and serene silence."
The energetic Stolz tried to bring Oblomov out of his state of deadening calm and to include him in life. Unfortunately, nothing came of this, because Ilya Ilyich was too firmly rooted in peace: “I’ve grown to this hole with a sore spot: try to tear it off - there will be death.”
Oblomov understands his spiritual decline the stronger it emotional drama. “He painfully felt that some good, bright beginning was buried in him, as in a grave, perhaps now dead, or it lay like gold in the depths of a mountain... But the treasure was deeply and heavily littered with rubbish, alluvial rubbish." Oblomov also understands the reasons for his spiritual death. When Olga asked him: “Why did everything die?.. Who cursed you, Ilya?.. What ruined you? There is no name for this evil...”, “There is,” he said barely audibly... Oblomovism!”
Perhaps the features positive for Goncharov managed to be embodied in Olga Ilyinskaya. Olga is an independent, strong, determined person. She is characterized by a desire for an active and meaningful life. Therefore, having fallen in love with Oblomov, she is imbued with the desire to revive him, save him from spiritual and moral ruin. Realizing that Oblomov will not be able to shake off his apathy and laziness, she irrevocably breaks with him. Olga’s farewell words to Oblomov speak of her high demands on the one she loves: “You are meek, honest, Ilya; you are gentle... dove, you hide your head under your wing and don’t want anything more; you I’m ready to coo under the roof all my life... yes, I’m not like that: that’s not enough for me...” It’s interesting that Olga becomes Stolz’s wife. But, naturally, this marriage does not bring her happiness.
The unconscious motives and aspirations that determine Oblomov’s behavior are a kind of “abyss”. In many ways, Oblomov’s personality remains unsolved.
N. A. Dobrolyubov in the article “What is Oblomovism?” gave a brilliant and still unsurpassed analysis of the novel. He notes that the social significance of the novel “Oblomov” lies in the fact that it shows Russian life, created a “modern Russian type” and in one word defines the characteristic phenomenon of noble-serfdom reality: “This word is Oblomovism; it serves as the key to unraveling many phenomena of Russian life."
Dobrolyubov showed that the image of Oblomov is a socio-psychological type that embodies the features of a landowner of the pre-reform period. The state of lordship gives rise to moral slavery in him: “... the vile habit of receiving satisfaction of his desires not from his own efforts, but from others, developed in him an apathetic immobility and plunged him into a pitiful state of moral slavery. This slavery is intertwined with Oblomov’s lordship, since they penetrate each other into each other and one is conditioned by the other.” Oblomovs are all those whose words differ from deeds, who in words only wish for the best and are not able to translate their desire into action.
This is the genius of Goncharov, that in his wonderful work he raised one of critical issues Russian life. Answering this question means changing your life radically for the better.
Introduction
Ivan Goncharov for the first time in his novel “Oblomov” introduces a new concept for Russian literature “Oblomovism”, which denoted a special social tendency, characteristic, first of all, of the Russian people, concluded in complete lack of will, apathy, constant laziness and excessive daydreaming, when illusions are replaced real life, and the person degrades. The word “Oblomovism” itself comes from the name of the main character of the work - Oblomov and his name native village- Oblomovka, which was the focus of everything that led to the gradual extinction of Ilya Ilyich as a person, his complete isolation from the world and final escapism. The depiction of Oblomov and “Oblomovism” in Goncharov’s novel is a reflection of the process of gradual change, the “breaking” of a person who is instilled with unnatural values and desires, which ultimately leads to tragic consequences - the acquisition of a false meaning of life, fear real world And early death hero.
Oblomovka and “Oblomovism”
The roots of the appearance of “Oblomovism” in Oblomov lie in the childhood of the hero - Ilya Ilyich grew up in a distant village, literally cut off from the real world and the center of Russia - Oblomovka. The Oblomov estate is located in a picturesque, quiet, tranquil area, where the climate pleased with its moderation and tranquility, where there were no heavy rains, hurricanes or winds, a raging sea or majestic mountains, instead of which there were gentle hills, even the sky “huddles closer to the ground”, “to hug her tighter, with love: it spread out so low above her head, like a parent’s reliable roof, to protect, it seems, the chosen corner from all adversity.”
Everything here promised “a calm, long-term life until the hair turned yellow and an unnoticed sleep.” death like this" Even the seasons followed each other according to the calendar, without destroying the crops with spring snows - everything in Oblomovka went according to its usual way, without changing for decades. In such a semblance of paradise on earth, Oblomov and the Oblomovites developed, protected even by nature from all sorts of hardships, experiences and losses.
People in Oblomovka lived from rite to rite - from birth to wedding and from wedding to funeral. The pacifying nature pacified their disposition, making them quiet, harmless and indifferent to everything: the most terrible atrocities in the village were associated with the theft of peas or carrots, and once found dead man from neighboring village, they decided to forget about it, since the lives of other communities did not concern them, which means the dead person is not their problem. A similar situation occurred with a letter from a neighboring estate, which described a recipe for beer, but the Oblomovites were afraid to open it right away, fearing bad news that could disturb the usual tranquility of the village. People in Oblomovka did not like work, considering it a duty and trying to get the job done as quickly as possible or even shift it onto the shoulders of someone else. On the estate, all the work was done by the servants, who, as can be seen from the example of Zakhar, were also not the most responsible and hardworking people, but at the same time remained devoted servants of their bar.
The days of the Oblomovites passed in calmness and idleness, and most important event there was a choice of dishes for lunch, when everyone offered their own options, and then everyone consulted, approaching the menu with particular seriousness: “caring for food was the first and main concern of life in Oblomovka. After the meal, everyone fell into a sleepy state, sometimes they carried on lazy, meaningless conversations, but more often they were completely silent, gradually falling asleep: “it was some kind of all-consuming, invincible sleep, a true likeness of death,” which little Ilya observed from year to year, gradually adopting parental behavior model and values.
Oblomov's childhood in Oblomovka
As a child, Ilya was an inquisitive, active child who tried in every possible way to learn the world around us. He wanted, like other children, to run through the fields, climb trees, walk where it was forbidden, or, climbing into the hayloft, admire the river and magnificent landscapes from above. Oblomov liked to watch animals and explore the surrounding area. However, overly protective parents, who from infancy surrounded Ilya with constant care and control, forbade the boy to actively interact with the world and study it, instilling in him completely different, “Oblomov” values and behavior patterns: constant laziness, unwillingness to work and study, lack of will and fear of the real. peace.
Deprived of the need to fight for his desires, receiving everything he wants at the first request, Oblomov became accustomed to idleness. He did not need to decide or do anything on his own - there were always parents nearby who “knew better” what their son needed, or servants who were ready to bring him any food, help him get dressed or clean his chambers. Ilya was raised as an exotic " indoor flower", protecting him with all his might from outside world and hiding in the peaceful nest of Oblomovka. His parents did not even demand academic success from their son, since they did not consider science to be something truly important and useful; they often left him at home on holidays or in bad weather. That is why studying at school, and then at the institute, became for Oblomov something like an instruction from his parents, and not the implementation of it of one's own will. Ilya Ilyich was bored in class; he did not understand how the knowledge gained could be applied in later life, in particular, in Oblomovka.
The destructive influence of fairy tales on Oblomov’s life
In the novel, Ilya Ilyich appears as a very sensitive, dreamy person who knows how to see beauty and subtly experience any manifestations of the outside world. In many ways, the formation of these qualities in the hero was influenced by Oblomov’s picturesque nature and fairy tales that his nanny told the boy. Myths and legends carried Oblomov into a completely different world - a fantastic, beautiful and full of wonders: “He involuntarily dreams of Militris Kirbityevna; everything pulls him in that direction, where they only know that they are walking, where there are no worries and sorrows; he always has the disposition to lie on the stove, walk around in a ready-made, unearned dress and eat at the expense of the good sorceress.” Even in adulthood, realizing that “rivers of milk” do not exist, Ilya Ilyich “is sometimes unconsciously sad, why is a fairy tale not life, and why is life not a fairy tale.” That is why in Oblomov, that sense of abandonment of a person in a terrifying and frightening world, instilled with fairy tales, continued to live in Oblomov, where you need to blindly make your way forward, neither seeing a goal nor a road, from which only a true miracle can save you.
Fairy, magical world legends and myths become an alternative reality for Oblomov and already in adulthood he himself invents a fairy tale about future life in heavenly Oblomovka, about endless calm family happiness, prosperity and tranquility. However, the tragedy of Ilya Ilyich does not even lie in total escapism, fear of society, unwillingness to do anything and fight for his happiness, and not the understanding that he has already replaced real life with an illusory one. Before his death, for Oblomov, his dreams are more real and important than his son, wife, friend and people around him, even more important than himself, because in his dreams everything is in order with his health, he is full of strength and energy. However, Goncharov himself in the novel briefly gives the reader one of the explanations for this substitution: “or maybe sleep, the eternal silence of a sluggish life and the absence of movement and any real fears, adventures and dangers forced a person to create another, unrealizable one among the natural world, and to look for revelry and fun for the idle imagination or the solution to ordinary combinations of circumstances and causes of a phenomenon outside the phenomenon itself,” emphasizing that life itself should be a continuous striving forward, and not an endless sleep in the “comfort zone.”
Conclusion
The concept of “Oblomovism” in the novel “Oblomov” is introduced by Goncharov not as a single characteristic of the life motives and characteristics of the protagonist’s nature, but as a typical and especially attractive phenomenon for Russian society - the archetype of Emelya the Fool, lying on the stove and waiting for his finest hour. According to the author himself, this is “an evil and insidious satire on our great-grandfathers, and maybe even on ourselves” - a fairy tale that everyone wants to believe in, but which has nothing to do with reality, where in order to achieve heights it is necessary to rise from ovens and work, work on yourself. Using Oblomov as an example, Goncharov showed how a sensitive, dreamy person can be detrimentally affected by excessive care and guardianship, protection from stress and loss, leading to complete disappointment in real life and its replacement with illusions.
The characteristics of the concept of “Oblomovism”, the history of its appearance and the connection with the main character of the novel will be useful to 10th graders while preparing an essay on the topic “Oblomov and “Oblomovism” in the novel “Oblomov”.
Work test
I. A. Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” was published in 1859, at a time when the issue of abolition of serfdom was extremely acute in the country, when Russian society was already fully aware of the destructiveness of the existing order. A deep knowledge of life and the accuracy of social analysis of characters allowed the writer to find a surprisingly correct definition of the way of Russian life of that time - “Oblomovism”.
The author's main task in the novel is to show how a person gradually dies in a person, how unadapted a landowner is to life, not accustomed to doing anything. The main qualities of the kind, sweet Ilya Ilyich Oblomov are his inertia, apathy, and aversion to any activity. True to the traditions of realism, I. A. Goncharov shows that these qualities were the result of Oblomov’s upbringing; they were born from the confidence that any of his desires would be fulfilled and no effort needed to be made for this. Oblomov is a nobleman, he does not have to work for a piece of bread - hundreds of Zakharov serfs work for him on the estate and completely ensure his existence. This means that he can lie on the couch all day long, not because he is tired, but because “this was his normal state.” He almost merged with his soft, comfortable robe and long, wide shoes, which he masterfully slipped into the first time, as soon as he dangled his feet from the sofa.
In his youth, Oblomov “was full of all sorts of aspirations, hopes, he expected a lot from fate and himself, he was always preparing for some field, for some role.” But time passed, and Ilya Ilyich kept getting ready, preparing to start a new life, but did not advance a single step towards any goal. In Moscow he received a good education, but his head “was like a library, consisting of only knowledge scattered in parts.” Entering the service, which had previously seemed to him in the form of some kind of family occupation, he did not even imagine that life would immediately be divided into two halves for him, one of which would consist of work and boredom, which for him were synonymous, and the other - from peace and peaceful fun. He realized that “it would take at least an earthquake to prevent a healthy person from coming to work,” and therefore he soon resigned, then stopped going out into the world and completely shut himself up in his room. If Oblomov recognizes some kind of work, it is only the work of the soul, since dozens of generations of his ancestors “endured labor as a punishment imposed on our forefathers, but they could not love, and where there was a chance, they always got rid of it, finding it possible and due."
There were moments in Oblomov’s life when he thought about the reasons that prompted him to lead such a life, when he asked himself the question: “Why am I like this?” In the climactic chapter of the novel “Oblomov’s Dream,” the writer answers this question. He creates a picture of provincial landowner life and shows how lazy hibernation gradually becomes the normal state of a person.
In a dream, Oblomov is transported to his parents’ estate Oblomovka, “to a blessed corner of the earth,” where there is “no sea, no high mountains, rocks, abysses, no dense forests - there is nothing grandiose, wild and gloomy.” An idyllic picture appears before us, a series of beautiful landscapes. “The annual circle is performed there correctly and calmly. Deep silence lies in the fields. Silence and peace of life also reign in the morals of the people in that region,” writes I. A. Goncharov. Oblomov sees himself as a little boy, striving to look into the unknown, ask more questions and get answers. But only caring for food becomes the first and main concern of life in Oblomovka. And the rest of the time is occupied by “some kind of all-consuming, invincible dream,” which I. A. Goncharov makes a symbol characterizing people like Oblomov, and which he calls “the true likeness of death.” From childhood, Ilya was accustomed to the fact that he did not have to do anything, that for any job there was “Vaska, Vanka, Zakharka,” and at some point he himself realized that it was “much calmer” this way. And therefore, all those “seeking manifestations of strength” in Ilyusha “turned inward and sank, withering away.” Such a life deprived the hero of the novel of any initiative and gradually turned him into a slave of his position, his habits, and even a slave of his servant Zakhar.
In his article “What is Oblomovism?” N.A. Dobrolyubov wrote: “Oblomov is not a stupid apathetic figure without aspirations and feelings, but a person who is also looking for something in life, thinking about something.” He is endowed with many positive qualities, and he is not stupid. There is a sad truth in his judgments - also a consequence of Russian life. What are all these Sudbinskys, Volkins, Penkovs striving for? Indeed, is it worth getting up from the couch for the sake of the petty fuss that his former comrades are busy with?
In the spirit of the tradition created by Russian writers, I. A. Goncharov subjects his hero to the greatest test - the test of love. A feeling for Olga Ilyinskaya, a girl of enormous spiritual strength, could resurrect Oblomov. But I. A. Goncharov is a realist, and he cannot show a happy ending to the novel. “Why did everything die? Who cursed you, Ilya? What ruined you? - Olga bitterly tries to understand. And the writer gives the answer to these questions, absolutely precisely defining the name of this evil - Oblomovism. And Ilya Ilyich was not the only one to become her victim. “Our name is legion!” - he says to Stolz. And indeed, almost all the heroes of the novel were amazed by “Oblomovism” and became its victims: Zakhar, Agafya Pshenitsyna, Stolz, and Olga.
The greatest merit of I. A. Goncharov is that he surprisingly accurately depicted the disease that struck Russian society in the mid-19th century, which N. A. Dobrolyubov characterized as “the inability to actively want something,” and pointed out the social causes of this phenomenon.