The publication of Turgenev's novel in Sovremennik in 1856, a turning point in Russian history, became a significant event in literary life. The writer who gave the literature the expression "extra person" was always worried about this topic. Rudin was no exception.

Writing history

In the first half of the fifties, Turgenev was working on several works, including the novel "Rudin". Initially, the work was planned as a story. But the author strove for a more complete coverage of social reality, in comparison with previous works. Judging by the writer's correspondence, the first version of the novel did not satisfy him.

After getting acquainted with the first part of the work, Ivan Sergeevich's correspondents pointed out to him the lengthy narrative, unnecessary details, insufficient convexity of the main characters, which are obscured by minor characters. For Turgenev, it was a kind of exam for the title of a writer. He wrote to Botkin that he would like to justify the hopes that he places on him and said that he had drawn up a detailed plan of the work, thought through all the faces to the smallest detail.

"Let's see," writes Turgenev, "what will the last attempt give?" Turgenev finished the first version of Rudin in seven weeks. Such a quick completion of the work testified to the great preliminary thoughts of the author and the experience of working on earlier works. Thus, "Rudin" became the work where the author depicted the principles of reality that will enter literature as the principles of the "Turgenev novel".

Artistic means

In the first two chapters, the author outlines the environment in which the main character is revealed. Turgenev, with the help of contrast, emotionally prepares his appearance. The arrival of the baron and the philosopher is expected in the salon of Lasunskaya, but an unknown Rudin arrives instead of him. He is dressed "mediocre" - the society is disappointed.

The baron never appeared in the novel. His image was necessary for comparison: the author belittled the hero in order to emphasize an extraordinary personality. Seeing at first an insignificant person, society then sees a person who is spiritualized and feels beautiful. This impression is created not only by the reaction of society. Turgenev also conveys Rudin's characterization through the details of the portrait - the face is incorrect, but clever; fast eyes; The "beautiful expression" on his face when he listens to Schubert; a wonderful summer night inspires him.

Through the speech characteristic, the author conveys the idea of ​​an advanced person immersed in the world of philosophical ideas and looking for the meaning of existence in them. In order to fully reveal this image, the author pays attention not so much to the content of his speeches, but to how the hero owns the "music of eloquence". In Turgenev's novel "Rudin", in a summary, it can also be noted that the author shows the main character as an inspired orator, with a quiet and concentrated voice, "the very sound" of which increases the charm.

Lunch at the Lasunskaya estate

The summary of "Rudin" begins with a description of a quiet summer morning. The young widow of Alexander Lipin lives on her own estate, which is managed by her brother Sergei Volyntsev. Alexandra Pavlovna is famous not only for her beauty, but also for her kindness. One morning she drives to a neighboring village to see a sick peasant woman who is carrying medicine. Returning back, he meets his brother and Konstantin Pandalevsky, who came to invite them to dinner. He is handsome, charming and knows how to get along with ladies.

Having agreed with Lipina about the visit, Konstantin returns to the Lasunskaya estate, where he lives in the living quarters. On the way, he meets a teacher of Bassists. A fleeting meeting was not without a quarrel. An ugly young man, but with an excellent education, he is raising the sons of Lasunskaya, and he hates Pandalevsky's dummy and habituation.

Daria Lasunskaya, a smart but unkind woman, a quarter of a century ago was reputed to be the first beauty in Moscow. Spends summer with children in the village. Lasunskaya is disliked in secular society for her arrogance. For dinner, households and guests gather in her house, including their neighbor Afrikan Semyonovich, an old grumbler. With the advent of Lipina and her brother, everyone gathers in the garden, as they are waiting for an important guest from the capital. But instead of him came Dmitry Rudin, who apologizes for the baron and explains his absence by an urgent call to Petersburg.

Acquaintance with Rudin

None of those present knew Rudin. Dressed very modestly, he gave the impression of a mediocre man. Continuing the summary of "Rudin", it should be noted that the hostess immediately liked the mind and restraint of the handsome young man. Dmitry put in place the arrogant old man Afrikan Pigasov. The guest reasoned so cleverly that the teacher listened to the guest with his mouth open, and the seventeen-year-old daughter of the hostess Natalya looked at him and sighed with admiration.

In the morning, the hostess of the house invited the guest to her office, where she told him about the local society. She spoke respectfully of Mikhail Lezhnev, a smart and interesting person. To her great regret, she shuns people. But Rudin, as it turned out, was familiar with him. Soon the footman reported to Lasunskaya about the visit of Lezhnev, who had come to resolve the boundary question.

Lezhnev, a casually dressed, thirty-five-year-old man with an expressionless face, having resolved the dispute over the border, bowed coldly and left. Lezhnev recognized Darya Mikhailovna's guest, but did not show joy from meeting with Rudin. Dmitry explained that he studied with Mikhail Mikhailovich at the university, but after studying, their paths diverged. Lasunskaya is busy with business, and Dmitry goes out onto the terrace, where he meets the daughter of the hostess.

Details of Dmitry's life

Natalya went out for a walk in the garden, and Rudin joins her. They have a lively conversation, Dmitry admits that he has nothing to do in the city, and he plans to spend summer and autumn in the village. For dinner, Volynsky arrives, who has long been in love with Natalia. Sergei Pavlovich did not like the way the girl looked at Rudin. With a heavy heart, he returns home, where he finds Lezhnev talking with his sister.

The summary of "Rudin" continues with the story of the life of the protagonist. At Lipina's request, Mikhail Mikhailovich talks about Rudin. Dmitry was born into a poor noble family. Mother barely managed to learn it, since Dmitry's father died early. After university, Rudin went abroad. He rarely wrote to his mother and practically did not visit. So she died, holding in her hand a portrait of her only son. Abroad, Dmitry lived with some lady, whom he later abandoned. It was then that a quarrel occurred between Rudin and Lezhnev, after which they stopped communicating.

Lezhnev's story

Two months have passed. Rudin lives at Lasunskaya's house, where he becomes a significant figure and gives advice on housekeeping. Daria Mikhailovna listens to him, but acts in her own way. Bassistov admires Rudin, but he does not pay any attention to him. She has long conversations with Natalia, gives books and articles in which she does not understand anything. But this is not important, because Rudin likes to be the mentor of a naive person.

Alexandra Pavlovna admires Dmitry, although she does not understand him. Her brother, Sergei Mikhailovich, Rudin praises and calls a knight. The guest still has a tense relationship with Lezhnev. Once, when Alexandra Pavlovna once again praises a guest, Lezhnev cannot stand it and calls Dmitry "an empty person." Actually, with this statement, he reveals the theme of Turgenev's novel "Rudin", the author of which was always interested in the problem of the "superfluous person".

In support of this, Lezhnev talks about their long-standing quarrel. As students, they were friends. Mikhail fell in love with one person and told Dmitry about it. He took both lovers into circulation and began to lead almost every step of them. He advised what to do, how and what to write, appointed a meeting place and, in the end, forced Lezhnev to tell the girl's father about his feelings. This resulted in a big scandal, after which the lovers were forbidden to meet.

Lezhnev does not regret this, since the young lady is married and is happy. But Lezhnev is not able to forgive Rudin, who “lives by other people's feelings” and is “cold as ice” himself. And, besides, at the moment Mikhail is worried about the fate of Natalia, who is carried away by Dmitry.

Rudin's confession

A conversation takes place between Natalia and Dmitry, in which Rudin praises her chosen one, meaning Sergei Volyntsev. But Natalia denies everything and confesses her love to Rudin. Volyntsev turned out to be an accidental witness to this scene. After dinner, Dmitry whispers to Natalya that he wants to meet her in the evening. During a date, he reveals his feelings to her. Pandalevsky becomes a witness to their conversation.

Sergei Pavlovich is sad at home reading a book and Lipina is greatly alarmed, since this is not typical for his active nature. Unexpectedly, Dmitry arrives and announces to Sergei that their feelings with Natalya are mutual, and holds out his hand to Volyntsev as a sign of friendship. Sergei refuses to shake it, he is indignant and considers this act to be the height of arrogance.

After Rudin's departure, Alexandra Pavlovna sends for Lezhnev, who hardly manages to calm Sergei. The house of Lasunskaya is also anxious, the hostess is cold with the guest. Natalya is depressed and pale, in the evening she sends Rudin a note with a request to meet.

Rudin is waiting for the girl by the pond, where Natalya made an appointment. She comes and tells that Lasunskoy knows everything about them, since Pandalevsky heard their conversation. Daria Mikhailovna assured her daughter that Rudin was just having fun, but he had no serious intentions. Rather, the mother would agree to see her daughter dead than married to this worthless man.

Dmitry advises Natalia to come to terms with the circumstances. From his words, the girl is horrified - she would rather agree to live with him unmarried than refuse him. Out of herself with anger, Natalya runs to her room, where she falls unconscious. Rudin realizes that his feelings are unlikely to be as strong, and he is not worth this girl. He stands in thought by the pond, at this time Lezhnev notices him, and immediately goes to Volyntsev.

Sergei Pavlovich informs Mikhail that he intends to shoot the offender. But here a footman comes in with a letter from Rudin, in which he informs him of his departure and wishes Volyntsev happiness. Lezhnev goes halfway to Lipina, talks about his feelings and proposes to her. Alexandra Pavlovna receives him.

Departure of Dmitry

Turgenev emphasized the nobility of the hero who made the decision to leave. Rudin wrote letters to everyone and announced that he was leaving. They say goodbye to him coldly. The teacher volunteered to accompany Dmitry to the station and burst into tears at the moment of parting. Rudin also wept, but not from the bitterness of parting, but about his unfortunate fate.

Natalya at this time reads a letter from Rudin, in which he admits that he did not appreciate the depth of her feelings, wishes her happiness and says goodbye forever. The girl is finally convinced that Rudin does not love her, and promises her mother not to mention his name in the future.

Letter from Moscow

Two years have passed. Lipina married Mikhail, they have a son. She spends the evening, waiting for her husband, with old Pigasov. Lezhnev arrives with a teacher who brought Lipina a letter from Moscow from his brother. Sergei Pavlovich reports that he made Natalia an offer, which she accepted.

It comes to Rudin. Lezhnev, to the surprise of many, speaks warmly of him and says that he pays tribute to Dmitry's mind and takes his words, about the futility of his existence, back. Calling him useless is unfair, since Rudin kindles the hearts of young people with a desire for improvement and knowledge.

Meanwhile, Dmitry appears at a station in a southern province and asks for horses to Penza. He is told that only to Tambov. And the aged, haggard Rudin says that he doesn't care - he will go to Tambov.

Epilogue

Lezhnev and Rudin, the heroes of Turgenev's novel, meet by chance a few years later in the city where Mikhail came on business. They dine together, Lezhnev tells about mutual acquaintances: the old man Pigasov got married; Pandalevsky, with the assistance of Daria Mikhailovna, took up a high position. Rudin, who has turned gray, is interested in Natalia. But Lezhnev does not say anything about her, he simply says that everything is fine with her.

Rudin, in turn, talks about himself. Over the years, he took up all sorts of things, but had no success anywhere. He worked as a secretary, was engaged in agriculture, was a teacher in a gymnasium. But he never started a home or a family - he remained an eternal wanderer. Lezhnev writes a letter to his wife in the evening, in which he talks about Rudin, calling him "poor man."

On June 26, 1848, in Paris, on one of the barricades, when the last defenders scatter in front of the advancing troops, Dmitry Rudin rises to his full height with a red banner in his hands. The bullet hit him in the heart.

An unnecessary person

The novel "Rudin" occupies a special place in Turgenev's work on the problem of the "superfluous person". In the person of the hero, the author summarized his reflections and observations on the type of person, who in recent years has become the object of attention of many writers. On the one hand, the author emphasizes the positive traits of people who have contributed to the liberation movement, on the other, Turgenev emphasizes their weaknesses.

In the person of this hero, the "extra person" appeared in a socially significant variety, and this was the idea of ​​Turgenev. Rudin is not a bored aristocrat who suffocates in a secular society. But he does not break up with him completely. Dmitry does not belong to a wealthy noble family. He tries his hand at teaching and science, but nowhere does he find satisfaction. In the end, an intelligent and educated person considers himself unnecessary.

Rudin's life is subordinated to the idea, for the sake of which Dmitry neglects the benefits and which he passionately promotes. However, all attempts to implement it, at least in part, end in complete failure, since they do not have solid, objective ground. Life beats Dmitry, he is discouraged, but unable to come to terms with reality. And love for the truth flares up in him again.

The significance of the novel

A short review of Turgenev's novel "Rudin" showed that through the mouth of Lezhnev the author assesses his hero, calling him "a disabled person of thought." This is probably the most correct definition. Since the restriction of public relations only by the noble circle, life outside of practical activity, and the constant habit of replacing deeds with words, all this left an imprint on the spiritual image of the noble intelligentsia.

Turgenev displayed all the petty and poser that appeared in the protagonist, in a frankly ironic tone. This made Rudin weak and pitiful. Having given a multifaceted image of a man of the 40s, the author could not answer the question that worried him: where are the reasons for the weakness and contradictions of the progressive nobility? Lezhnev in the novel assesses Rudin, claiming that there is no "nature, no blood" in him. According to the author, this is not the hero's fault - the reasons should be sought in society.

At the end of the work, Lezhnev calls on the noble intelligentsia to spiritually unite in the face of new generations. His appeal sounds like an attack on revolutionary democracy. Analysis of the work of Turgenev "Rudin" showed that the true hero of the novel is not the liberal landowner Lezhnev, but the dreamer Rudin. The main ideological content of Turgenev's novel was accepted by the progressive-minded public as a work that helps in the struggle for the transformation of Russia.

In the January and February books of "Sovremennik" for 1856, the first novel by IS Turgenev "Rudin" was published. This was a very significant event in the social and literary life of the mid-50s of the 19th century. The noble period of the liberation movement lasted until the 60s of the XIX century. The social composition of the progressive intelligentsia in the 30-40s remained predominantly noble. This circumstance, as well as the failure of the first revolutionary action and the thirty years of Nikolayev's reaction, were the reason that the progressive man of the time found himself not only in contradiction with the surrounding reality, but also in contradiction with himself.

A type of "superfluous person" was taking shape in the Russian public. People of this type did not accept the existing social system, fervently protested against oppression of the individual, passionately promoted the idea of ​​freedom, sincerely wished for themselves a great deal of activity in the name of the people and, at the same time, remained dreamers, did not know and understand the real needs of the people, vaguely imagined the true ways transformative activity, the common dream of freedom was not processed into a consistently practical program. Their well-to-do existence did not temper their character, they were lost in the struggle with difficulties, they were removed from practical life. The protagonist of Turgenev's first novel, Dmitry Rudin, occupies a very significant and unique place in the gallery of types of "superfluous people".

The novel was written at a turning point in the history of Russia. Feudal relations have already become such a brake on economic life and have intensified popular discontent so much that the government was no longer able to keep the old system unshakable. Alexander 11, who ascended the throne at the end of 1855, announces the preparation of a peasant reform. In the process of an acute ideological struggle, a revolutionary-democratic camp was formed, and the second stage of the liberation movement began. In the conditions of a transitional period, the question of the progressive leader of the era arises with renewed vigor. The young generation of various intelligentsia entering the struggle had to first of all find out what ideological heritage it receives from the best people of previous decades, on what traditions it can rely. In this regard, the type of "superfluous person" again attracts attention. But time dictates a slightly different turn of this topic than in the 30s and 40s. It is necessary to summarize, to clearly say about the positive principles of the progressive noble intelligentsia, who opposed the Nikolaev reaction, and at the same time to assess its weaknesses with all sobriety and severity, pronounce a merciless sentence on what the new generation should critically overcome and reject. Turgenev was able to answer this social need with his novel "Rudin". The topic of "extra person" attracted Turgenev from the first years of his creative activity. A number of works of the 40s - early 50s are associated with it (poems, stories, stories, plays). During this period, Turgenev, first of all, is interested in the psychological image of the "superfluous person". The writer focuses on his mental imbalance, reflection, indecision, as a defining trait of his character. Shows how the hero, a well-educated person, suffers both from the consciousness of the practical uselessness of the information with which his head is filled, and from the feeling of alienation from the society in which he lives. His fate is sad. He cannot arrange his personal happiness, because reflection, self-doubt, fear of decisive actions paralyze his actions, do not give him the opportunity to go directly and simply towards the goal.

Rudin was written quickly. The first version was completed in 7 weeks. In total, it took six months to create the work. Such a speedy completion, while realizing the seriousness of the task, could have been only on condition of great preliminary reflections, using the experience of working on earlier stories.

The novel "Rudin", written in 1855, consists of 12 chapters and an epilogue. Its content is taken from the life of a landowner in the forties of the XIX century. This life already differs in many respects from the landlord life described by Pushkin in the novel "Eugene Onegin". It can be seen that the younger generation has stepped far forward and fully realized the abnormality of the old musty, closed life.

In 1855, Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev began work on the novel Rudin. Initially, the author thought about another name - "Genius Nature". The title was intended to make it clear to the reader from the very first pages that the title character of the work is an integral, educated, versatile personality with a will and acting according to goals. However, in the course of work, the author loomed a different image of the protagonist, directly opposite to the “genius nature”. So the name had to be changed, and Turgenev's book "Rudin" was published.

The central character of Turgenev's novel is Rudin. Who is this new hero? In many ways, he is a follower of Onegin, Pechorin, such a prominent representative of his generation. Like the author himself, and his contemporaries, he received an excellent philosophical education in Europe, and preached the search for the meaning of life, faith in the power of reason, enlightenment and the high purpose of each person. In other words, he was an excellent orator, and everyone around him, with bated breath, listened and admired his enthusiasm and poetry. However, as often happens, a different essence was hidden behind the beautiful speeches. The "extraordinary mind" turned out to be incapable of doing things. He is pitiful, insignificant and cowardly, and his end turned out to be inevitable and absolutely predictable: Rudin dies on the barricades in Paris, "because of nonsense, in which he himself did not believe."

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Roman "Rudin"

Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev began work on Rudin in 1855.

The appearance of the novel in print caused a lot of discussion and controversy in literary circles and among readers.

The critic of Otechestvennye zapiski viewed Rudin only as a pale copy of the previous heroes of Russian literature - Onegin, Pechorin, Beltov. But Chernyshevsky objected to him in Sovremennik, noting that Turgenev was able to show in the image of Rudin a man of a new era of social development. Comparing Rudin with Beltov and Pechorin, Chernyshevsky emphasized that "these are people of different eras, of different natures, people who make up a perfect contrast to one another."

After the publication of the novel, Nekrasov expressed confidence that for Turgenev “a new era of activity begins, for his talent acquired new strength, that he will give us works even more significant than those that deserved in the eyes of the public first place in our newest literature after Gogol ".

In a letter to Turgenev, Sergei Timofeevich Aksakov spoke about the vitality of the image of the Rudin type and noted that the novel "raises many small questions and reveals the deep secrets of the spiritual nature of man."

Speaking about the recognition of the novel among the populist intelligentsia, one cannot ignore the words of V.N. Figner: “It seems to me that the whole novel is taken straight from life, and Rudin is the purest product of our Russian reality, not a parody, not a mockery, but a real tragedy that has not died at all, that is still living, is still going on ...”. “In every educated person of our time, there is a particle of Dmitry Rudin,” wrote Stepnyak-Kravchinsky.

Rudin is one of the best representatives of the cultural nobility. He was educated in Germany, like Mikhail Bakunin, who served as his prototype, and like Turgenev himself. Rudin's character is revealed in the word. This is a brilliant speaker. Appearing in the estate of the landowner Lasunskaya, he immediately captivates those present. “Rudin possessed almost the highest secret - the secret of eloquence. He was able, striking one strings of hearts, to make all others vaguely ring and tremble. " In his philosophical speeches about the meaning of life, about the high purpose of man, Rudin is simply irresistible. A person cannot, should not subordinate his life only to practical goals, to concerns about existence, he asserts. Without the desire to find "common principles in particular phenomena" of life, without faith in the power of reason, there is neither science, nor enlightenment, nor progress, and “if a person does not have a strong beginning, in which he believes, there is no ground on which he stands firmly, how can he give himself an account of the needs, the meaning, the future of his people? "

Enlightenment, science, the meaning of life - this is what Rudin talks about with such enthusiasm, inspiration and poetry. He tells the legend of a bird that flew into the fire and again disappeared into the darkness. It would seem that a person, like this bird, appears from nothing and, having lived a short life, disappears into obscurity. Yes, “our life is fast and insignificant; but all great things are accomplished through people. "

His statements inspire and call for a renewal of life, for extraordinary, heroic achievements. Everyone feels the power of Rudin's influence on the audience, his conviction in a word. And everyone admires Rudin for his "extraordinary mind". Only Pigasov does not recognize the merits of Rudin - from resentment for his defeat in the dispute.

But in the very first conversation between Rudin and Natalya, one of the main contradictions of his character is revealed. After all, only the day before he spoke so inspiredly about the future, about the meaning of life, about the purpose of man, and suddenly he appears as a tired man who does not believe either in his own strengths or in the sympathy of people. True, one objection of the surprised Natalya is enough - and Rudin reproaches himself for his cowardice and again preaches the need to do business. But the author has already sown doubt in the reader's soul that Rudin's words are consistent with deeds, and intentions - with deeds.

The writer subjects the contradictory character of his hero to a serious test - love. This feeling for Turgenev is either light, then tragic and destructive, but it is always a force that reveals the soul, the true nature of a person. This is where Rudin's real character is revealed. Although Rudin's speeches are full of enthusiasm, years of abstract philosophical work have dried up living sources of heart and soul in him. The predominance of the head over the heart is already noticeable in the scene of the first love confession.

The first obstacle on his way - the refusal of Daria Mikhailovna Lasunskaya to marry her daughter to a poor man - leads Rudin into complete confusion. In response to the question: "What do you think we need to do now?" - Natalia hears: "Of course, submit." And then Natalya Rudin throws a lot of bitter words: she reproaches him for cowardice, cowardice, that his lofty words are far from the case. And Rudin feels miserable and insignificant in front of her. He does not stand the test of love, revealing his human inferiority.

In the novel, Lezhnev is opposed to the main character - openly, straightforwardly. Rudin is eloquent - Lezhnev is usually laconic. Rudin cannot understand himself - Lezhnev perfectly understands people and without further ado helps his loved ones, thanks to his emotional tact and sensitivity. Rudin does nothing - Lezhnev is always busy with something.

But Lezhnev is not only an antagonist of Rudin, he is an interpreter of the hero. Lezhnev's assessments are not the same at different moments, even contradictory, but in general they inspire the reader with an understanding of the complex character of the hero and his place in life.

The highest assessment of Rudin is, therefore, given by his antagonist, a man of practical nature. Maybe he is the true hero of the novel? Lezhnev is rewarded with both intelligence and understanding of people, but his activities are limited by the existing order of things. The author constantly emphasizes his everyday life. He is businesslike, but for Turgenev it is impossible to reduce the whole meaning of life to businesslikeness, not inspired by the highest idea.

Rudin reflects the tragic fate of a man of the Turgenev generation. Departure into abstract thinking could not but entail negative consequences: speculativeness, poor acquaintance with the practical side. People like Rudin, bearers of high ideals, keepers of culture, serve the progress of society, but are clearly devoid of practical potential. An ardent opponent of serfdom, Rudin found himself absolutely helpless in realizing his ideal.

In Russian life, he is destined to remain a wanderer. His fate is echoed by another image of the wanderer, the image of the immortal Don Quixote.

The ending of the novel is heroic and tragic at the same time. Rudin dies on the barricades of Paris. I recall the words from the Rudin letter to Natalya: "I will end up sacrificing myself for some nonsense, in which I will not even believe ...".

Composition

Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev began work on Rudin in 1855. At first, the novel was called Genius Nature. By "genius" Turgenev understood the ability to convince and educate people, a versatile mind and broad education, and by "nature" - firmness of will, a keen sense of the needs of social life. But in the course of work, such a name ceased to satisfy Turgenev, since in relation to Rudin it sounded ironic: there was little "nature" in him, there was not enough will for practical work, although there was "genius" in him. The author's note on the manuscript: “Rudin. It began on June 5, 1855, on Sunday, in Spasskoye, and ended on July 24, 1856, on Sunday, in the same place, at 7 weeks. Published with large additions in the January and February books of Sovremennik for 1856 ”.

By "big additions" Turgenev means his revisions of individual chapters of the novel and the addition of new ones when preparing "Rudin" for publication, when, after reading the novel in the editorial circle (and it took place on the very first days of the writer's arrival in St. Petersburg in October 1855) at Turgenev's friends there were wishes that he would more clearly set off the figure of the protagonist. Friendly advice helped Turgenev to understand a lot. His constant willingness to test himself was reflected, in particular, in the fact that he rarely gave up printing his works without listening to the opinion of those he trusted. First of all, he began to rework the pages dedicated to the youthful years of Lezhnev and Rudin, and then the epilogue of the novel.

From time to time, he read Nekrasov's chapters and pages, written anew, and met with warm approval from him. Reporting on Turgenev's work on the epilogue, Nekrasov predicted in one of his letters that “a wonderful thing will come out. Here, for the first time, Turgenev will appear by himself ... He is a man who is capable of giving us ideals as far as they are possible in Russian life. " The appearance of the novel in print caused a lot of discussion and controversy in literary circles and among readers. The critic of Otechestvennye zapiski viewed Rudin only as a pale copy of the previous heroes of Russian literature - Onegin, Pechorin, Beltov. But Chernyshevsky objected to him in Sovremennik, noting that Turgenev was able to show in the image of Rudin a man of a new era of social development. Comparing Rudin with Beltov and Pechorin, Chernyshevsky emphasized that "these are people of different eras, of different natures, people who make up a perfect contrast to one another."

After the publication of the novel, Nekrasov expressed confidence that for Turgenev “a new era of activity begins, that his talent has acquired new strength, that he will give us works even more significant than those that deserved in the eyes of the public first place in our modern literature after Gogol ". In a letter to Turgenev, Sergei Timofeevich Aksakov spoke about the vitality of the image of the Rudin type and noted that the novel "raises many small questions and reveals the deep secrets of the spiritual nature of man." Speaking about the recognition of the novel among the populist intelligentsia, one cannot ignore the words of V.N. Figner: “It seems to me that the whole novel is taken directly from life, and Rudin is the purest product of our Russian reality, not a parody, not a mockery, but a real tragedy that has not died at all, that is still living, is still going on ...”. “In every educated person of our time, there is a particle of Dmitry Rudin,” wrote Stepnyak-Kravchinsky. The protagonist of the novel is largely autobiographical: he is a man of the Turgenev generation who received a good philosophical education abroad. Rudin's character is revealed in the word.
“Rudin possessed almost the highest secret - the secret of eloquence. He was able, striking one strings of hearts, to make all others vaguely ring and tremble. " In his philosophical speeches about the meaning of life, about the high purpose of man, Rudin is simply irresistible. A person cannot, should not subordinate his life only to practical goals, to concerns about existence, he asserts. Without the desire to find "general principles in particular phenomena" of life, without faith in the power of reason, there is neither science, nor enlightenment, nor progress, and “if a person does not have a strong beginning, in which he believes, there is no ground on which he stands firmly, how can he give himself an account of the needs, the meaning, the future of his people? " Enlightenment, science, the meaning of life - this is what Rudin talks about with such enthusiasm, inspiration and poetry. He tells the legend about a bird that flew into the fire and again disappeared into the darkness.

It would seem that a person, like this bird, appears from nothing and, having lived a short life, disappears into obscurity. Yes, “our life is fast and insignificant; but all great things are done through people. " His statements inspire and call for a renewal of life, for extraordinary, heroic achievements. Everyone feels the power of Rudin's influence on the audience, his conviction in a word. And everyone admires Rudin for his "extraordinary mind". Only Pigasov does not recognize the merits of Rudin - from resentment for his defeat in the dispute. But in the very first conversation between Rudin and Natalia, one of the main contradictions of his character is revealed. After all, only the day before he spoke so inspiredly about the future, about the meaning of life, about the purpose of man, and suddenly he appears as a tired man who does not believe either in his own strengths or in the sympathy of people.

True, one objection of the surprised Natalya is enough - and Rudin reproaches himself for his cowardice and again preaches the need to do business. But the author has already sown doubt in the reader's soul that Rudin's words are consistent with deeds, and intentions with deeds. The writer subjects the contradictory character of his hero to a serious test - love. For Turgenev, this feeling is sometimes bright, sometimes tragic and destructive, but it is always a force that reveals the soul, the true nature of a person. This is where Rudin's real character comes to light. Although Rudin's speeches are full of enthusiasm, years of abstract philosophical work have dried up living sources of heart and soul in him. The predominance of the head over the heart is already noticeable in the scene of the first love confession. The first obstacle on his way - the refusal of Daria Mikhailovna Lasunskaya to marry her daughter to a poor man - leads Rudin into complete confusion. In response to the question: "What do you think we need to do now?" - Natalia hears: "Of course, submit." And then Natalya Rudin throws a lot of bitter words: she reproaches him for cowardice, cowardice, that his lofty words are far from the case. And Rudin feels miserable and insignificant in front of her. He does not stand the test of love, revealing his human inferiority. In the novel, Lezhnev is opposed to the main character, openly, straightforwardly. Rudin is eloquent - Lezhnev is usually laconic.

Rudin cannot understand himself - Lezhnev perfectly understands people and helps his loved ones without further ado, thanks to his emotional tact and sensitivity. Rudin does nothing - Lezhnev is always busy with something. But Lezhnev is not only an antagonist of Rudin, he is an interpreter of the hero. Lezhnev's assessments are not the same at different moments, even contradictory, but in general they inspire the reader with an understanding of the complex character of the hero and his place in life. The highest assessment of Rudin is, therefore, given by his antagonist, a man of practical nature.

Maybe he is the true hero of the novel? Lezhnev is rewarded with both intelligence and understanding of people, but his activities are limited by the existing order of things. The author constantly emphasizes his everyday life. He is businesslike, but for Turgenev it is impossible to reduce the whole meaning of life to businesslikeness, not inspired by the highest idea. Rudin reflects the tragic fate of a man of the Turgenev generation. Departure into abstract thinking could not but entail negative consequences: speculativeness, poor acquaintance with the practical side. People like Rudin, bearers of high ideals, keepers of culture, serve the progress of society, but are clearly devoid of practical potential. An ardent opponent of serfdom, Rudin found himself absolutely helpless in realizing his ideal. In Russian life, he is destined to remain a wanderer. The ending of the novel is heroic and tragic at the same time. Rudin dies on the barricades of Paris. I recall the words from the Rudin letter to Natalya: "I will end up sacrificing myself for some nonsense, in which I will not even believe ...".

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