When Fathers and Sons was first published in Russia, in 1862, it was met with a blaze of controversy about where Turgenev stood in relation to his account of generational misunderstanding. Was he criticizing the worldview of the conservative aesthete, Pavel Kirsanov, and the older generation, or that of the radical, cerebral medical student, Evgenii Bazarov, representing the younger one? The critic Dmitrii Pisarev wrote at the time that the novel "stirs the mind . . . because everything is permeated with the most complete and most touching sincerity." N. N. Strakhov, a close friend of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, praised its "profound vitality." It is this profound vitality in Turgenev's characters that carry his novel of ideas to its rightful place as a work of art and as one of the classics of Russian Literature.
When Fathers and Sons was first published in Russia, in 1862, it was met with a blaze of controversy about where Turgenev stood in relation to his account of generational misunderstanding. Was he criticizing the worldview of the conservative aesthete, Pavel Kirsanov, and the older generation, or that of the radical, cerebral medical student, Evgenii Bazarov, representing the younger one? The critic Dmitrii Pisarev wrote at the time that the novel "stirs the mind . . . because everything is permeated with the most complete and most touching sincerity." N. N. Strakhov, a close friend of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, praised its "profound vitality." It is this profound vitality in Turgenev's characters that carry his novel of ideas to its rightful place as a work of art and as one of the classics of Russian Literature.
Über den Autor
Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev (1818-1883) was a prominent Russian novelist, short story writer, and playwright, widely regarded as one of the most significant figures in Russian literature. He is known for his lyrical prose, deep characterizations, and exploration of social and political issues. Turgenev initially began his literary career with poetry and short stories but gained widespread recognition with his 1852 collection "A Sportsman's Sketches" (also known as "Sketches from a Hunter's Album"). This work, which depicted the harsh realities of serfdom and the lives of Russian peasants, contributed significantly to the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Turgenev was also known for his play "A Month in the Country" (1855), a psychological exploration of unrequited love. He was part of the group of Russian writers who brought Russian literature to international attention in the 19th century. Though his works were less intense and philosophical than those of contemporaries like Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, Turgenev s elegance and realism made him widely admired. He died on September 3, 1883, in Bougival, near Paris, France, leaving behind a lasting legacy.
