"Superfluous people" in literature are images characteristic of Russian prose of the mid-nineteenth century. Examples of such characters in works of art are the topic of the article.
Who coined this term?
"Superfluous people" in literature are characters that appeared as early as the beginning of the nineteenth century. Who exactly introduced this term is unknown. Possibly Herzen. According to some sources - Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. After all, the great Russian poet once said that his Onegin is "an extra person." One way or another, this image is firmly established in the works of other writers.
Every schoolboy who hasn't even read Goncharov's novel knows about someone like Oblomov. This character is a representative of the outdated landlord world, and therefore cannot adapt in any way to the new one.
General signs
"Superfluous people" are found in the works of such classics as I. S. Turgenev, M. Yu. Lermontov. Before considering each of the characters that can be attributed to this category, it is necessary to highlight common features. "Superfluous people" in literature are contradictory characters who are in conflict with the society to which they belong. As a rule, they are deprived of both fame and wealth.
Examples
"Superfluous people" in literature are characters introduced by the author into an environment alien to them. They are moderately educated, but their knowledge is unsystematic. The "superfluous person" cannot be a deep thinker or scientist, but he has the "ability of judgment", the gift of eloquence. And the main sign of this literary character is a dismissive attitude towards others. As an example, we can recall Pushkin's Onegin, who avoids communication with his neighbors.
"Superfluous people" in Russian literature of the 19th century were heroes who were able to see the vices of modern society, but did not know how to resist them. They are aware of the problems of the world around them. But, alas, they are too passive to change anything.
Causes
The characters discussed in this article began to appear on the pages of the works of Russian writers in the Nikolaev era. In 1825 there was an uprising of the Decembrists. For the next decades, the government was in fear, but it was at this time that the spirit of freedom, the desire for change, appeared in society. The policy of Nicholas I was rather contradictory.
The tsar introduced reforms designed to make life easier for the peasants, but at the same time did everything to strengthen the autocracy. Various circles began to appear, the members of which discussed and criticized the current government. The landlord way of life for many educated people caused contempt. But the trouble is that the participants in various political associations belonged to the same society for which they suddenly inflamed with hatred.
The reasons for the appearance of "superfluous people" in Russian literature lie in the emergence in society of a new type of person who was not accepted by society and did not accept him. Such a person stands out from the crowd, and therefore causes bewilderment and irritation.
As already mentioned, the concept of "extra person" was first introduced into literature by Pushkin. However, this term is somewhat vague. Characters in conflict with the social environment have been encountered in literature before. The protagonist of Griboyedov's comedy has features inherent in this type of character. Is it possible to say that Chatsky is an example of an "extra person"? In order to answer this question, a brief analysis of the comedy should be made.
Chatsky
The hero of Griboedov rejects the inert foundations of the Famus society. He denounces servility and blind imitation. This does not go unnoticed by representatives of the Famus society - whipping, Khryumin, Zagoretsky. As a result, Chatsky is considered strange, if not crazy.
Griboyedov's hero is a representative of an advanced society, which includes people who do not want to put up with reactionary orders and remnants of the past. Thus, we can say that the topic of "an extra person" was first raised by the author of "Woe from Wit".
Eugene Onegin
But most literary critics believe that this particular hero is the first "extra person" in the prose and poetry of Russian authors. Onegin is a nobleman, "the heir to all his relatives." He received a very tolerable education, but does not possess any deep knowledge. To write and speak French, to behave at ease in society, to recite a few quotations from the writings of ancient authors - this is enough to create a favorable impression in the world.
Onegin is a typical representative of an aristocratic society. He is not able to "work hard", but he knows how to shine in society. He leads an aimless, idle existence, but that is not his fault. Eugene became what his father was, who gave three balls annually. He lives the way most representatives of the Russian nobility exist. However, unlike them, at some point he begins to experience fatigue, disappointment.
Loneliness
Onegin - "an extra person." He languishes from idleness, tries to occupy himself with useful work. In the society to which he belongs, idleness is the main component of life. Hardly anyone from Onegin's entourage is familiar with his experiences.
Eugene at first tries to compose. But the writer does not come out of it. Then he begins to read with enthusiasm. However, Onegin does not find moral satisfaction in books either. Then he retires to the house of his deceased uncle, who bequeathed his village to him. Here the young nobleman, it would seem, finds something to do. He makes life easier for the peasants: he replaces the yoke with a light quitrent. However, these good undertakings do not lead to anything.
The type of "superfluous person" in Russian literature appeared in the first third of the nineteenth century. But by the middle of the century, this character acquired new features. Pushkin's Onegin is rather passive. He treats others with contempt, is in a blues and cannot get rid of conventions and prejudices, which he himself criticizes. Consider other examples of the "extra person" in the literature.
Pechorin
Lermontov's work "A Hero of Our Time" is devoted to the problems of a person rejected, spiritually not accepted by society. Pechorin, like Pushkin's character, belongs to the high society. But he is tired of the mores of aristocratic society. Pechorin does not enjoy attending balls, dinners, festive evenings. He is oppressed by boring and meaningless conversations that are customary to conduct at such events.
Using the examples of Onegin and Pechorin, one can supplement the concept of "an extra person" in Russian literature. This is a character who, due to some alienation from society, acquires such features as isolation, selfishness, cynicism and even cruelty.
"Notes of an Extra Man"
And yet, most likely, the author of the concept of "superfluous people" is I. S. Turgenev. Many literary scholars believe that it was he who introduced this term. According to them, Onegin and Pechorin were subsequently ranked among the "superfluous people", although they have little in common with the image created by Turgenev. The writer has a story called "Notes of an Extra Man". The hero of this work feels like a stranger in society. This character himself calls himself such.
Whether the hero of the novel "Fathers and Sons" is a "superfluous person" is a moot point.
Bazarov
Fathers and Sons depicts a mid-nineteenth-century society. The stormy political disputes by this time had reached their apogee. In these disputes, on one side stood the liberal democrats, and on the other, the revolutionary democrats-raznochintsy. Both understood that change was needed. The revolutionary-minded democrats, unlike their opponents, were determined to take rather radical measures.
Political disputes have penetrated into all spheres of life. And, of course, they became the theme of artistic and journalistic works. But there was at that time another phenomenon that interested the writer Turgenev. Namely, nihilism. Adherents of this movement rejected everything that has to do with the spiritual.
Bazarov, like Onegin, is a deeply lonely person. This feature is also characteristic of all characters, which literary critics refer to as "superfluous people". But, unlike Pushkin's hero, Bazarov does not spend time in idleness: he is engaged in natural sciences.
The hero of the novel "Fathers and Sons" has successors. He is not considered insane. On the contrary, some heroes try to adopt Bazar's oddities and skepticism. Nevertheless, Bazarov is lonely, despite the fact that his parents love and idolize him. He dies, and only at the end of his life he realizes that his ideas were false. There are simple pleasures in life. There is love and romantic feelings. And all this has a right to exist.
Rudin
In often there are "extra people". The action of the novel "Rudin" takes place in the forties. Daria Lasunskaya, one of the heroines of the novel, lives in Moscow, but in the summer she leaves the city, where she organizes musical evenings. Her guests are exceptionally educated people.
One day, a certain Rudin appears in Lasunskaya's house. This man is prone to polemics, extremely ardent, and with his wit conquers listeners. The guests and the mistress of the house are enchanted by Rudin's amazing eloquence. Lasunskaya invites him to live in her house.
In order to give a clear description of Rudin, Turgenev tells about the facts from his life. This man was born in a poor family, but never had the desire to earn money, to get out of poverty. At first he lived on the pennies that his mother sent him. Then he lived at the expense of rich friends. Rudin, even in his youth, was distinguished by extraordinary oratorical skills. He was a fairly educated person, because he spent all his leisure time reading books. But the trouble is that nothing followed his speeches. By the time he met Lasunskaya, he had already become a man, fairly battered by the hardships of life. In addition, he became painfully proud and even conceited.
Rudin - "an extra person." Many years of immersion in the philosophical sphere has led to the fact that ordinary emotional experiences seem to have died out. This Turgenev hero is a born orator, and the only thing he strove for was to conquer people. But he was too weak, spineless, to become a political leader.
Oblomov
So, the "extra person" in Russian prose is a disillusioned nobleman. The hero of Goncharov's novel is sometimes referred to as this type of literary hero. But can Oblomov be called "an extra person"? After all, he misses, languishes for his father's house and all that made up the landowner's life. And he is by no means disappointed in the way of life and traditions characteristic of the representatives of his society.
Who is Oblomov? This is a descendant of a landowner family who is bored with working in an office, and therefore he does not get up from his sofa for days. This is a common opinion, but it is not entirely correct. Oblomov could not get used to Petersburg life, because the people around him were all prudent, heartless individuals. The protagonist of the novel, unlike them, is smart, educated and, most importantly, has high spiritual qualities. But why doesn't he want to work then?
The fact is that Oblomov, like Onegin and Rudin, does not see the point in such work, such a life. These people cannot work only for the sake of material well-being. Each of them requires a high spiritual goal. But it does not exist, or it turned out to be insolvent. And Onegin, and Rudin, and Oblomov become "superfluous".
Goncharov contrasted Stolz, a childhood friend, with the protagonist of his novel. This character first creates a positive impression on the reader. Stolz is a hardworking, purposeful person. The writer endowed this hero with German origin not by chance. Goncharov seems to be hinting that only a Russian person can suffer from Oblomovism. And in the last chapters it becomes clear that there is nothing behind Stolz's diligence. This person has neither dreams nor high ideas. It acquires sufficient means of subsistence and stops without continuing its development.
The influence of the "extra person" on others
It is also worth saying a few words about the heroes who surround the "extra person". referred to in this article, lonely, unhappy. Some of them end their lives too soon. In addition, "superfluous people" bring grief to others. Especially women who had the imprudence to love them.
Pierre Bezukhov is sometimes also referred to as "superfluous people". In the first part of the novel, he is in constant anguish, searching for something. He spends a lot of time at parties, buys paintings, reads a lot. Unlike the aforementioned heroes, Bezukhov finds himself, he does not die either physically or morally.
The problem of "superfluous" people in society is reflected in the work of many Russian writers. For example, in the comedy A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit".
Alexander Chatsky is the image of an advanced person of the 10-20s of the 19th century, who, in his convictions and views, is close to the future Decembrists. In accordance with the moral principles of the Decembrists, a person must perceive the problems of society as his own, have an active civic position, which is noted in the behavior of Chatsky. He expresses his opinion on various issues, coming into conflict with many representatives of the Moscow nobility.
First of all, Chatsky himself is noticeably different from all the other heroes of the comedy. This is an educated person with an analytical mindset; he is eloquent, gifted with imaginative thinking, which elevates him above the inertia and ignorance of the Moscow nobility. Chatsky's clash with Moscow society occurs on many issues: this is the attitude to serfdom, to public service, to domestic science and culture, to education, national traditions and language. For example, Chatsky says that "I would be glad to serve - it's sickening to serve." This means that he will not, for the sake of his career, please, flatter his superiors, and humiliate himself. He would like to serve "the cause, not the persons" and does not want to seek entertainment if he is busy with business.
Moscow nobles are annoyed by those personality traits of the protagonist that are just positive: his education and desire for knowledge, the ability to think independently and a thirst for justice, the desire to serve the Fatherland, but with the benefit of progress and with the aim of reforming the existing socio-political system. And the “famus society” did not want to allow transformations, therefore people like Chatsky were considered dangerous, they did not want to be seen in high society, and they became “superfluous people”.
Chatsky is alone in the crowd of Famusov's guests, representing Moscow society, where "empty, slavish, blind imitation" of everything foreign reigns and "a mixture of languages: French with Nizhny Novgorod" is heard. Chatsky is a patriot, he would like to be proud of his country and people, but in the manners of the nobles, in their way of life, the hero notes the degeneration of everything Russian, national.
Undoubtedly, patriotism is one of the most worthy qualities of a person, and Chatsky's spiritual image deserves high praise. But there are some features that somewhat violate the integrity of the positive image. Perhaps, due to inexperience, youth and ardor, the hero does not understand that it is inappropriate to pronounce accusatory monologues at Famusov's reception. Moreover, no one wants to listen to the opinion of Chatsky, no one cares about his experiences. It evokes negative emotions in those around, since direct condemnation of the morals and beliefs of the bureaucracy and landowners does not contribute to mutual understanding with them. The hero should understand that Famusov and his guests are not the kind of society where one should open one's soul, share thoughts about modern reality. Sophia, like her father, easily classifies Chatsky as crazy, wanting to take revenge on him for mocking Molchalin. The hero is forced to leave the Famusovs' house, where his mind, his critical views on life were so unpleasant to others. He did not make friends or like-minded people here, but only knew disappointment, felt insulted and was ready to run away from here to muffle his mental pain.
Was there such a place in Russia where the hero of Griboedov could find "a corner for an offended feeling"? Probably, Chatsky should go to a place where secret societies of the future Decembrists already existed, where they appreciated smart people who were ready to use their knowledge and strength for the overdue transformations in the Fatherland. In the understanding of the advanced nobles, the mind should be free, "free", which means that for the Decembrists, freethinking was not a dirty word or a definition of a vice, a dangerous illness, but vice versa. It is clear that Griboyedov's courage was highly appreciated by contemporaries with advanced convictions, since his hero Chatsky was close in spirit to the future Decembrists. He aroused sympathy for the fact that he felt the need to fight against inertia, ignorance, cruelty, injustice and other vices, he wanted to participate in transformations. When communicating with representatives of the Moscow nobility, he saw a misunderstanding, a hostile attitude towards himself, in addition, his position was complicated by a tragedy in love and loneliness. Therefore, A.S. Griboyedov defined Chatsky’s condition as “woe from wit”, since the hero felt himself “superfluous” in the society of Moscow nobles.
In the work of A.S. Pushkin, we can find the theme of “an extra person”, for example, in the poem “Gypsies”.
Aleko, the hero of the poem, fled from the “bondage of stuffy cities” to a gypsy camp, hiding from persecution for a crime he had committed. Aleko did not find his destiny, living in the familiar world, and he was quite satisfied with the gypsy freedom. Secular entertainment, idleness and luxury of the former life, intrigues and gossip irritate him, but Aleko cannot fill life with meaning, become useful and necessary to society, it is easier for him to wander aimlessly with gypsies. However, in the camp, as well as in high society, he turns out to be "an extra person." The hero did not want to come to terms with Zemfira's betrayal, he killed the girl along with her new lover. And the gypsies reject the stranger:
Leave us, proud man!
...You only want freedom for yourself...
In the novel by A.S. Pushkin's "Eugene Onegin", the main character also becomes "superfluous" in high society, although his position manifested itself somewhat differently than that of Chatsky or Aleko.
The environment where such personalities as Eugene Onegin are formed is represented by secular salons that educate "young rake". Endless dinners, balls, entertainment, playing cards gave rise to a desire for luxury and determined the needs and principles of these people. The monotony of secular life (“and today is the same as yesterday”) explains why boredom, gossip, envy, slander arise and reign in the world. Tatyana (the heroine of the novel) gives an exact definition to all this: “the hateful life of tinsel”.
The novel "Eugene Onegin" reflects many problems of the time. One of them is an “extra” person in society. To show the typical characters for a given time (10-20s of the nineteenth century), it is necessary to note the circumstances and sources of their occurrence. And Pushkin touches on the topics of upbringing, education, family relations in the work. The hero of the novel, as often happened in noble families, receives a superficial education under the guidance of a French tutor. The lack of useful activities and due attention of parents in childhood, then an idle social life - all this was typical for the "golden youth" of St. Petersburg, where the main character was born and raised.
It is impossible to explain everything in the fate of Onegin, but significant changes are taking place in his life, as well as in character. Dissatisfaction with oneself began in those days when a young rake, bored and disappointed in everything, feeling unnecessary, tries to find a job for himself, seeks to find meaning in life. He leaves the world and settles in a village. The strongest shock of that time was the murder of Lensky, who became his friend, trusted his heart secrets. Onegin could not forgive himself for a terrible mistake made because of his own egoism, unwillingness to explain himself to a person, to be more sensitive and attentive to a young friend and to people in general. This for the first time led him to suffering, to the "anguish of heartfelt remorse" that forced the hero to rush around the world.
The next test was unexpected love. We can say that the very ability to love speaks of the rebirth of Onegin. This is no longer an egoist, if for him the woman he loves becomes more precious than life. In moral terms, he is now cleaner, higher, as he is able to draw deep conclusions:
To lengthen my life
I have to be sure in the morning
That I will see you in the afternoon.
Onegin, having experienced suffering, learned to understand the feelings of other people, he knew the pain of loss, the pain of unrequited love and the inability to be near the woman he loved. He understands that he is punished by life for his former frivolity, for "playing in love", when he tested his skills in practice "in the science of tender passion." And as a result, for the former unwillingness to start a family, for the desire to preserve freedom (now “hateful”), Eugene receives suffering, loneliness. He realized how important it is in life just to have a dear person nearby. It turned out that true bliss lies in the ability to love and be loved! Onegin spoke about the soul. And this, of course, is a huge achievement in the moral improvement of the hero.
The hero has gone through a difficult path of spiritual evolution, he is ready to serve society and can become one of those who, entering into secret alliances of future Decembrists, thought about reforms in Russia.
The theme of the "superfluous person" is continued in M.Yu. Lermontov's novel "A Hero of Our Time".
Pechorin, the hero of the novel, on the night before the duel with Grushnitsky, sorting through his life in memory, comes to sad conclusions: “... why did I live? for what purpose was I born?.. And, it is true, it existed, and, it is true, it was a high purpose for me, because I feel immense strength in my soul. Pechorin understands that he did not find something very important for himself and "became carried away by the bait of passions, empty and ungrateful."
Lermontov did not show his hero in any business or creativity (with the exception of some references to the dangerous, risk-to-life service in the Caucasus and keeping a diary). Before serving in the mountain fortress, Pechorin was mostly busy with secular idleness, so he sometimes needs thrills. Like many representatives of the "golden youth", the young officer liked his own superiority over "barely blossoming souls": he could easily "pick a flower and throw it" without any remorse. Pechorin knew "the greatest triumph of power", about which he spoke as follows: "... my first pleasure is to subordinate everything that surrounds me to my will, to arouse a feeling of love, devotion and fear."
In his diary (“Pechorin’s Journal”), the hero, prone to reflection, reflects on his life and finds an explanation for many actions: “evil breeds evil”, and therefore the suffering he endured in his youth gave the concept of “pleasure to torment another”. However, not every young man, as a result of suffering, becomes a tormentor for another person, that is, a villain. Usually, suffering makes the soul purer, more sublime, a person understands someone else's pain. Pechorin is not like that, he is an egoist by nature. The hero himself calls himself "an ax in the hands of fate", as he brings misfortune to many who are close to him.
In many cases, Pechorin acts like a typical hero of the time. It is clear that the formation of his personality was influenced by the features of the post-Decembrist era, the decline in the social movement and apathy that set in during the years of reaction, but the person who has good moral inclinations can think about ways to solve both personal and social problems. Pechorin, on the other hand, cynically claims that society made him so: “I was insulted - I became vindictive ... I told the truth - they didn’t believe me: I learned to deceive.” And secular intrigues, victories over women and other meaningless entertainments that fill the void of life became the main occupation in his life.
Pechorin is able to “take on a deeply touched look” in order to fool a pretty girl and arouse her compassion for herself, explaining coldness and selfishness by the injustices of fate that made him a moral cripple. This is what he does with Mary, playing with her feelings, seeking her love, in order to then pictorially declare his inability to love. And again, he is not at all concerned about suffering, pain, the broken fate of another person, although Pechorin admits that he often realized himself as an executioner in relation to those with whom his fate brought him together. He felt in his soul "immense forces", but "the forces of this rich nature were left without use, life without meaning ...", as in the story of Onegin in A.S. Pushkin's novel "Eugene Onegin". But in the previous era, the hero had the opportunity to join the Decembrists, while Pechorin does not have such a prospect, but he does not look like a person who thinks about the fate of Russia and the people. He remains "an extra person", and his life ends too soon. The image of the hero of the time, created by M.Yu. Lermontov, helps to understand what is the tragedy of the fate of an outstanding personality in an unhealthy society.
In I.S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons”, the “superfluous person” is the nihilist Bazarov.
In an effort to contradict the whole world of aristocrats, nihilists refused to accept their morality, political attitudes, art, literature. In polemical fervor, like grimacing schoolchildren wishing to challenge society, they denied everything, intending to “clear the place first”, and then let others create something. Most likely, these new fighters and thinkers vaguely imagined the future that someone had to build on the ruins of the civilization inherited from the nobles.
The hero of Turgenev's novel "Fathers and Sons" Yevgeny Bazarov studies the natural sciences, works hard in medical practice, and is sure that this gives him the right to treat with disdain those who know life from other positions. He is often harsh, cynical, even arrogant with people, including those who seek to imitate him, who consider themselves his students. Since the followers of Bazarov do not have their own convictions, they are ready to imitate him, repeat everything that the idol will do or say. These people, who have not found a job in the Russian social movement, look like a pathetic and ridiculous parody of the fighters for freedom and progress. They cannot be called like-minded people of Bazarov, so the author calls them his students. In reality, these are people-chips, who were swept away by a storm in an era of change, and they are ready to wash at least on some shore. But the main character, Bazarov, turns out to be an "extra" person, not in demand in society. This is a tragic figure: he, like many in this era, did not find his destination, did not have time to do something necessary and important for Russia, and, having made a mistake in medical practice, he dies young. In the novel, Bazarov is a very lonely person, since he does not have true followers and like-minded people, which means that in nihilism, as in love, he failed.
Of course, one can not take seriously the “attacks” of the nihilist Bazarov against the “principles” of the aristocrat Kirsanov (Pavel Petrovich), especially his absurd opinion about the uselessness, uselessness for humanity of music, poetry, art in general (“Rafael is not worth a penny”). But with a closer acquaintance with this hero, an understanding comes: his outrageousness and harshness are explained by the fact that he himself does not know how to change what he does not like and what he rejects. It was also a phenomenon of the era when the aristocrats could no longer change anything, do anything, and the democrats would like to, but did not yet know what the path of Russia's development should be.
I. S. Turgenev’s novel “Rudin” is also devoted to the theme of the “superfluous person”, whose hero (Dmitry Rudin), having become a fighter for justice and democratic reforms at the call of his heart, is forced to leave his homeland. Finding no use for his strength, intelligence and talent, feeling unnecessary in Russia, he, with a red banner in his hands, dies in Paris during the revolutionary events of 1848.
In F.M. Dostoevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment" the protagonist also does not find his place in the public life of the country.
Raskolnikov, who does not want to put up with injustice in society and the imperfection of life, comes up with his own theory, which, in his opinion, will help him find the meaning of life and confidence in the future. Rodion, rejected by society, "an extra person", protests against the fate of the humiliated and insulted "little man", and therefore wants to assert himself through crime. However, after the murder of the pawnbroker, there were no changes for the better in his life and the lives of those who suffered from the activities of the greedy old woman. And Rodion gradually comes to realize the falsity of the theory of “blood in conscience”, about special people who are allowed a lot for the sake of great goals. Raskolnikov does not know how to change society so that every person feels "not superfluous", but he understands that through repentance and conversion to faith he can return to the life of an ordinary citizen.
In I.A. Goncharov's novel "Oblomov", the hero is completely removed from the problems of society and from the struggle for a better future.
Probably, Oblomov and the “Oblomovism” have their supporters and defenders. After all, Ilya Ilyich had a “beautiful, crystal-clear soul”; he remained faithful to the patriarchal way of life of the nobility, loved his parents, honest, simple, cordial people, and kept the memory of them; he did no harm to anyone and did not waste his soul "on trifles"; he preserved national traditions and culture. In fact, Oblomov sought to avoid the fuss and excessive, sometimes unnatural thirst for activity. But this desire caused the sleep of the soul and led to the rejection of real life.
The merit of I.A. Goncharov before Russian society, not only in the fact that he created a true picture of reality, but also in the fact that the phenomenon depicted by the writer makes one think about the influence of "Oblomovism" on every person, regardless of era and belonging to any class. N.A. Dobrolyubov also spoke about this in his article on the novel “Oblomov”: “Oblomov never left us ...”. The image of the protagonist, Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, quite naturally continued the gallery of "superfluous people". Like Onegin, Pechorin, Beltov and others, Goncharov's hero is "infected" with the inability to find a job for himself in the contemporary world; he is not able to realize his dreams and plans.
Oblomov's path is a dead end: he cannot serve, because he does not want to seek promotion through unworthy means; He does not want to be "in the world", because he is too lazy. And servility, servility, insincerity or dishonesty, greed of some people interfere with communication and friendship. This makes him sad, depressing and weighs on his sensitive nature, which causes a desire to withdraw himself, to live in seclusion, solitude, increasingly feeling his uselessness, uselessness and loneliness. The typical complex of the "superfluous person" in Oblomov becomes paradoxical, as it leads not only to the denial of the existing reality, but also to the death of the individual. The hero strove to save himself from reality, at least by daydreams, went into the world of dreams, into a dream, and passed away from life in general.
Thus, in Russian literature, the theme of the “superfluous person” is reflected fully and multifaceted by writers of different eras.
Reviews
Hello Zoya! I read your article with great pleasure, and as I remember now, when our teacher went over this topic with us, and, which is typical, almost word for word with your arguments. True, when she said about Onegin that he was tired of every day one and also balls, theaters and all high-society tinsel, and made a comparison in the direction of a scientist who also makes experiments day after day and it would seem that a person should not enjoy his life either. And then she asked the class a question - what is the difference between these two people .Naturally, we could not say anything. Then she herself explained to us that the scientist has a goal - to get a result, and over and over again, making experiments, he thinks and strives to get closer to what he is looking for, but with Onegin it all comes down to how to kill time, he, like a thinking person, does not may not see this. But, as I understand it, Bazarov got into this company due to a misunderstanding, that is, Turgenev put the accents too sharply, in life such extremes are rare, but here you just need to get into the shoes of a hero, if he it seems that there is no other way out, except to destroy everything beforehand, maybe if you could imagine in those days if there was an Internet, then Bazarov would not have become so categorical, we also sometimes feel superfluous in this wide world, but I’ll take the collection I’ll start some movie or performance on the Internet, it’s like you’ll be distracted from all sorts of apocalyptic thoughts, otherwise I don’t know how. Maybe now there is no problem of extra people, Americans generally believe that the planet is overpopulated, and at least 2/3 is needed throw into the furnace of war for the sake of the powers that be, and argue beyond good and evil. Thank you again for an interesting article, I will continue to visit your page.
20-50s of the 19th century.
Features of an extra person
The main features of the “superfluous person” include alienation from the official life of Nikolaev Russia, departure from the native social environment (almost always noble), awareness of one’s significant abilities, intellectual and moral superiority, compared with other representatives of one’s class.
Also, the "Short Literary Encyclopedia" in the article about the "superfluous person" notes such qualities as "mental fatigue, deep skepticism, discord between word and deed, and, as a rule, social passivity."
Finding no realization of his talents in higher circles, the hero spends his life in idle hobbies or tries to overcome boredom with duels, love affairs, gambling, adventurous adventures, participation in hostilities, and so on.
Representatives in literature
The very term “extra person” became widespread after the publication of I.S. Turgenev in 1850, but the formation of this type took place already from the beginning of the 19th century.
The first and most prominent representatives of "superfluous people" are considered to be Eugene Onegin from the novel in verse by A.S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin" (1823-1831) and Grigory Pechorin from the novel "A Hero of Our Time" by M.Yu. Lermontov (1839–1840). They were replaced by Beltov (“Who is to blame?” A.I. Herzen, 1841–1846), then Agarin (“Sasha” by N.A. Nekrasova, 1856) and a whole string of Turgenev’s heroes: Chulkaturin (“The Diary of an Extra Man”, 1850), Rudin ("Rudin", 1856), Lavretsky ("Noble Nest", 1859) and others. It is also customary to classify I.I. Oblomov (“Oblomov” I.A. Goncharov, 1859), but this point of view does not find unanimity in literary works, and therefore is still controversial. Goncharov Ivan Aleksandrovich
"An extra person" in the literary process
The theme of the “superfluous person” appeared and became widespread in Russian literature not by chance. The “extra person” was not a “fiction” of the authors, it was a type that really existed and acted in the society of the early 19th century, the “extra person” was a “hero of his time”. A.S. Pushkin noted: "... Indifference to life and its pleasures, ... premature old age of the soul ... became the hallmarks of the youth of the 19th century." A.I. also spoke about the modern generation. Herzen: "... We are all, to a greater or lesser extent, Onegins, but we do not prefer to be officials or landlords."
As noted by A. Lavretsky in the "Literary Encyclopedia", the appearance of "superfluous people" was associated with the inconsistency of the Western European education they received with the realities of life in Russia, as well as the oppression of the Nikolaev reaction after the defeat of the Decembrists. The oppression of despotism, serfdom, and the underdevelopment of social life pushed the theme of the "superfluous man" to a more prominent place in comparison with Western European literature. Its significance also increased because it reflected the awakening of the personal principle, moral self-consciousness and the independence of the individual. Hence the heightened drama of the theme of the "superfluous person" in Russian literature, the growing intensity of the hero's moral and ideological quest.
The historical and literary role of the theme of the "superfluous person" was also great. Having arisen as a rethinking of the romantic hero, the type of "superfluous person" developed under the sign of realistic typification, revealing the "difference" (Pushkin) between the hero and his creator. Significant in this topic was the rejection of educational, moralizing attitudes in the name of the most complete and impartial analysis, reflection of the dialectics of life (this explained the rejection of the images of the “superfluous person” by many romantics, in particular, the rejection of Eugene Onegin by the Decembrists). Finally, it was important in the topic of "extra man" and the assertion of the value of an individual person, personality, interest in the "history of the human soul" (Lermontov; from the preface to Pechorin's Journal), which created the ground for fruitful psychological analysis and prepared the future conquests of Russian realism .
Leader: Maltseva Galina Sergeevna.
MAOU "Secondary School No. 109", Perm.
The expression "extra man" came into general use after the "Diary of an Extra Man". So who is he? leader: Maltseva Galina Sergeevna.
Doing.
The expression "superfluous man" came into general use after the "Diary of an Extra Man" (1850) by I.S. Turgenev. So it is written in the "Literary Encyclopedic Dictionary" (1987).
But the first epithet "superfluous" was applied by Pushkin to Onegin, the hero of the novel "Eugene Onegin", in one of the rough sketches. Almost simultaneously with Pushkin in 1831, Lermontov in the drama “The Strange Man” puts the same definition into the mouth of Vladimir Arbenin: “Now I am free! No one ... no one ... exactly, positively no one cherishes me on earth ... I am superfluous! .. ”These are the words of V. Manuilov in the book“ M.Yu.
The "Literary Dictionary" says that "an extra person" is a socio-psychological type captured in Russian literature of the first half of the 19th century. Why did it happen that smart and eager people were doomed to enforced inaction, became victims of their time?
The outstanding historian V.O. Klyuchevsky has an article on this topic, it is called “Eugene Onegin and his ancestors”, in which he explains the reasons that made people who received a European education “superfluous in their country”. The “cultural and psychological curiosity” lies in the fact that, giving their children a European education, the ancestors offered a country frozen in slavery, therefore “in Europe they saw him as a Tatar dressed in European style, and in their eyes he seemed to be a Frenchman born in Russia.”
Although the words of Klyuchevsky were said about Onegin, they are no less suitable for Chatsky. The drama of Chatsky lies precisely in the fact that he is torn apart by the contract between civilization and slavery, the underdevelopment of social life in Russia.
Chatsky could not in any way admit that Sophia in their enlightened age was still at that low stage of moral development, on which Famusov and his entourage were. Her idea of valor and honor is no different from the views of those around her: “Compliant, modest, quiet in her face, not a shadow of anxiety ...”
And already Famusov presents a whole program of successful life in society to this “prodigal son”, but the essence of success is very simple:
When do you need to serve?
And he leaned over...
This "moral" position is verified by practice, convenient, reliable. With surprise, the educated and intelligent Chatsky states the bitter truth: "The silent ones are blissful in the world." But there is no place for him here: “I will go to look around the world, where there is a corner for an offended feeling.” Chatsky is alone before us. And that says a lot. There were many Decembrists and pro-Decembrists, but the feeling of social loneliness was quite familiar to almost every progressive person of that time.
The social and literary development of Russia was so rapid that the image of Chatsky did not satisfy either Pushkin or Belinsky.
Pushkin is not satisfied with Chatsky's traditional approach to depicting a hero, in which the main character turns into a mouthpiece for the author's ideas. Pushkin begins work on the novel "Eugene Onegin", creating a new hero. Belinsky notes: “First of all, in Onegin we see a poetically reproduced picture of Russian society, taken at one of the most interesting moments of its development.” As a result of the reform of Peter the Great, a society was to be formed in Russia, completely separated from the mass of the people in its way of life.
Nevertheless, Pushkin asks the most important question: “But was my Eugene happy?” It turns out that it does not satisfy many people of the world. Onegin does not immediately come to terms with his bitter disappointment, with the feeling of his uselessness:
Onegin locked himself at home,
Yawning took up the pen,
I wanted to write, but hard work
He was tired...
In Onegin, the mind, conscience, dreams are alive, but he does not have the ability to act. Onegin does not need anything, he has no goal, no ideal - this is his tragedy.
If Chatsky and Onegin were given a historic opportunity to go to Senate Square in 1825 together with the most educated representatives of their class, who hoped to move the rock that stood in the way of civilization with one impetuous onslaught, then Pechorin, the hero of Lermontov’s novel, did not have such an opportunity. . He appeared later, and this was enough for a certain psychological and moral barrier to form between them. Critics, comparing Pechorin with Onegin, said: "If Onegin is bored, then Pechorin suffers deeply." This is explained by the fact that the “hero of our time” lives during the cruel persecution of everything advanced that came after the defeat of the Decembrists. Lermontov in the preface said bluntly that he gives "a portrait made up of the vices of our generation, in their full development." Pechorin went into himself, as the whole of the most educated Russia went into itself after the terrible upheavals associated with the suppression of the Decembrist uprising.
In his tragic life, Lermontov found a task for himself - to understand and explain to his contemporaries themselves, without hiding or embellishing anything. The novel "A Hero of Our Time", when published, caused conflicting opinions among readers. The novel contains tendencies to condemn both society and the hero. Recognizing the guilt of society in the fact that it gave birth to Pechorin, the author, however, does not believe that the hero is right. The central task of the novel is to reveal the depth of the image of Pechorin. The central task of the novel is to reveal the depth of the image of Pechorin. Already from the very composition of the novel, we can see the aimlessness of his life, the pettiness and inconsistency of his actions. By placing the hero in different conditions, in different environments, Lermontov wants to show that they are alien to Pechorin, that he has no place in life, no matter what situation he finds himself in.
The theme of the "superfluous person" is characteristic of Lermontov's work. For example, the hero of the drama "Strange Man" - Vladimir Arbenin - is the same "extra person". His whole life is a challenge to society.
Turgenev's novel Rudin was published in 1856 in the Sovremennik magazine. In the image of Rudin, Turgenev shows that the progressive people of the 40s, who received the bitter, but in their own way fair name of “superfluous people”, tried to save them from discord with the social conditions of life by going into philosophy and art. In the personality of Rudin, Turgenev collected both positive and negative features of this generation. Himself, having passed the difficult path of spiritual quest, cannot reduce the whole meaning of human life to efficiency, not inspired by a higher idea. And from the point of view of historical progress, the Rudins, according to Turgenev, are the true heroes of the era, since they are admirers of ideals, guardians of culture, serve the progress of society.
Conclusion.
In our literature, a type of people has developed whose existence is purely internal. They do not seek to achieve wealth, fame, position in society, they do not set themselves any political, social or worldly goals.
The “superfluous people” of Russian literature are looking for happiness not outside, but inside themselves. Initially, they “laid” that high ideal that dooms them to eternal dissatisfaction with reality, to the eternal search for a life goal. Their souls, like Lermontov's sail, are rebellious, "looking for storms."
Bibliography.
1. V.O. Klyuchevsky "Eugene Onegin and his ancestors" (in the book "Literary portraits" 1991)
2. V.Yu. Proskurin "Dialogues with Chatsky" (in the book "Centuries will not be erased ..." Russian classics and their readers, 1988)
3. N.G. Valley "Let's Honor Onegin Together"
4. N.G. Valley "Pechorin and our time"
5. P.G. Paustovsky "I. Turgenev - the artist of the word"
6. I.K. Kuzmichev "Literature and moral education of the individual."
7. L. Urban "Secret Platonov". "Rereading" article.
Superfluous people" in literature are images typical of Russian prose of the mid-nineteenth century. Examples of such characters in works of art are the topic of the article. Who coined this term? "Superfluous people" in literature are characters that appeared as early as the beginning of the nineteenth century. Who exactly introduced this term is unknown. Possibly Herzen. According to some sources - Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. After all, the great Russian poet once said that his Onegin is "an extra person." One way or another, this image is firmly established in the works of other writers. Every schoolboy who has not even read Goncharov's novel knows about such a literary hero as Oblomov. This character is a representative of the outdated landlord world, and therefore cannot adapt in any way to the new one. General signs of "Superfluous people" are found in the works of such classics as I. S. Turgenev, M. Yu. Lermontov.
Before considering each of the characters that can be attributed to this category, it is necessary to highlight common features.
"Superfluous people" in literature are contradictory characters who are in conflict with the society to which they belong. As a rule, they are deprived of both fame and wealth.
"Superfluous people" in literature are characters introduced by the author into an environment alien to them. They are moderately educated, but their knowledge is unsystematic.
The "superfluous person" cannot be a deep thinker or scientist, but he has the "ability of judgment", the gift of eloquence.
And the main sign of this literary character is a dismissive attitude towards others.
As an example, we can recall Pushkin's Onegin, who avoids communication with his neighbors. "Superfluous people" in Russian literature of the 19th century were heroes who were able to see the vices of modern society, but did not know how to resist them. They are aware of the problems of the world around them. But, alas, they are too passive to change anything.
Causes
The characters discussed in this article began to appear on the pages of the works of Russian writers in the Nikolaev era. In 1825 there was an uprising of the Decembrists. For the next decades, the government was in fear, but it was at this time that the spirit of freedom, the desire for change, appeared in society. The policy of Nicholas I was rather contradictory. The tsar introduced reforms designed to make life easier for the peasants, but at the same time did everything to strengthen the autocracy. Various circles began to appear, the members of which discussed and criticized the current government. The landlord way of life for many educated people caused contempt. But the trouble is that the participants in various political associations belonged to the same society for which they suddenly inflamed with hatred. The reasons for the appearance of "superfluous people" in Russian literature lie in the emergence in society of a new type of person who was not accepted by society and did not accept him. Such a person stands out from the crowd, and therefore causes bewilderment and irritation. As already mentioned, the concept of "extra person" was first introduced into literature by Pushkin. However, this term is somewhat vague. Characters in conflict with the social environment have been encountered in literature before.
The protagonist of Griboyedov's comedy has features inherent in this type of character. Is it possible to say that Chatsky is an example of an "extra person"? In order to answer this question, a brief analysis of the comedy should be made. Chatsky Hero of Griboyedov rejects the inert foundations of the Famus society. He denounces servility and blind imitation of French fashion. This does not go unnoticed by representatives of the Famus society - Khlestov, Khryumin, Zagoretsky. As a result, Chatsky is considered strange, if not crazy. Griboyedov's hero is a representative of an advanced society, which includes people who do not want to put up with reactionary orders and remnants of the past. Thus, we can say that the topic of "an extra person" was first raised by the author of "Woe from Wit".
Eugene Onegin
But most literary critics believe that this particular hero is the first "extra person" in the prose and poetry of Russian authors. Onegin is a nobleman, "the heir to all his relatives." He received a very tolerable education, but does not possess any deep knowledge. To write and speak French, to behave at ease in society, to recite a few quotations from the writings of ancient authors - this is enough to create a favorable impression in the world. Onegin is a typical representative of an aristocratic society. He is not able to "work hard", but he knows how to shine in society. He leads an aimless, idle existence, but that is not his fault. Eugene became what his father was, who gave three balls annually. He lives the way most representatives of the Russian nobility exist. However, unlike them, at some point he begins to experience fatigue, disappointment. Loneliness Onegin - "an extra person." He languishes from idleness, tries to occupy himself with useful work. In the society to which he belongs, idleness is the main component of life. Hardly anyone from Onegin's entourage is familiar with his experiences. Eugene at first tries to compose. But the writer does not come out of it. Then he begins to read with enthusiasm. However, Onegin does not find moral satisfaction in books either. Then he retires to the house of his deceased uncle, who bequeathed his village to him. Here the young nobleman, it would seem, finds something to do. He makes life easier for the peasants: he replaces the yoke with a light quitrent. However, these good undertakings do not lead to anything. The type of "superfluous person" in Russian literature appeared in the first third of the nineteenth century. But by the middle of the century, this character acquired new features. Pushkin's Onegin is rather passive. He treats others with contempt, is in a blues and cannot get rid of conventions and prejudices, which he himself criticizes. Consider other examples of the "extra person" in the literature.
Lermontov's work "A Hero of Our Time" is devoted to the problems of a person rejected, spiritually not accepted by society. Pechorin, like Pushkin's character, belongs to the high society. But he is tired of the mores of aristocratic society. Pechorin does not enjoy attending balls, dinners, festive evenings. He is oppressed by boring and meaningless conversations that are customary to conduct at such events. Using the examples of Onegin and Pechorin, one can supplement the concept of "an extra person" in Russian literature. This is a character who, due to some alienation from society, acquires such features as isolation, selfishness, cynicism and even cruelty. “Notes of an extra person” And yet, most likely, the author of the concept of “extra people” is I. S. Turgenev. Many literary scholars believe that it was he who introduced this term. According to them, Onegin and Pechorin were subsequently ranked among the "superfluous people", although they have little in common with the image created by Turgenev. The writer has a story called "Notes of an Extra Man". The hero of this work feels like a stranger in society. This character himself calls himself such. Whether the hero of the novel "Fathers and Sons" is a "superfluous person" is a moot point.
Fathers and Sons depicts a mid-nineteenth-century society. The stormy political disputes by this time had reached their apogee. In these disputes, on one side stood the liberal democrats, and on the other, the revolutionary democrats-raznochintsy. Both understood that change was needed. The revolutionary-minded democrats, unlike their opponents, were determined to take rather radical measures. Political disputes have penetrated into all spheres of life. And, of course, they became the theme of artistic and journalistic works. But there was at that time another phenomenon that interested the writer Turgenev. Namely, nihilism. Adherents of this movement rejected everything that has to do with the spiritual. Bazarov, like Onegin, is a deeply lonely person. This feature is also characteristic of all characters, which literary critics refer to as "superfluous people". But, unlike Pushkin's hero, Bazarov does not spend time in idleness: he is engaged in natural sciences. The hero of the novel "Fathers and Sons" has successors. He is not considered insane. On the contrary, some heroes try to adopt Bazar's oddities and skepticism. Nevertheless, Bazarov is lonely, despite the fact that his parents love and idolize him. He dies, and only at the end of his life he realizes that his ideas were false. There are simple pleasures in life. There is love and romantic feelings. And all this has a right to exist.
Turgenev's works often contain "superfluous people". The action of the novel "Rudin" takes place in the forties. Daria Lasunskaya, one of the heroines of the novel, lives in Moscow, but in the summer she leaves the city, where she organizes musical evenings. Her guests are exceptionally educated people. One day, a certain Rudin appears in Lasunskaya's house. This man is prone to polemics, extremely ardent, and with his wit conquers listeners. The guests and the mistress of the house are enchanted by Rudin's amazing eloquence. Lasunskaya invites him to live in her house. In order to give a clear description of Rudin, Turgenev tells about the facts from his life. This man was born in a poor family, but never had the desire to earn money, to get out of poverty. At first he lived on the pennies that his mother sent him. Then he lived at the expense of rich friends. Rudin, even in his youth, was distinguished by extraordinary oratorical skills. He was a fairly educated person, because he spent all his leisure time reading books. But the trouble is that nothing followed his speeches. By the time he met Lasunskaya, he had already become a man, fairly battered by the hardships of life. In addition, he became painfully proud and even conceited. Rudin - "an extra person." Many years of immersion in the philosophical sphere has led to the fact that ordinary emotional experiences seem to have died out. This Turgenev hero is a born orator, and the only thing he strove for was to conquer people. But he was too weak, spineless, to become a political leader.
So, the "extra person" in Russian prose is a disillusioned nobleman. The hero of Goncharov's novel is sometimes referred to as this type of literary hero. But can Oblomov be called "an extra person"? After all, he misses, languishes for his father's house and all that made up the landowner's life. And he is by no means disappointed in the way of life and traditions characteristic of the representatives of his society. Who is Oblomov? This is a descendant of a landowner family who is bored with working in an office, and therefore he does not get up from his sofa for days. This is a common opinion, but it is not entirely correct. Oblomov could not get used to Petersburg life, because the people around him were all prudent, heartless individuals. The protagonist of the novel, unlike them, is smart, educated and, most importantly, has high spiritual qualities. But why doesn't he want to work then? The fact is that Oblomov, like Onegin and Rudin, does not see the point in such work, such a life. These people cannot work only for the sake of material well-being. Each of them requires a high spiritual goal. But it does not exist, or it turned out to be insolvent. And Onegin, and Rudin, and Oblomov become "superfluous". Goncharov contrasted Stolz, a childhood friend, with the protagonist of his novel. This character first creates a positive impression on the reader. Stolz is a hardworking, purposeful person. The writer endowed this hero with German origin not by chance. Goncharov seems to be hinting that only a Russian person can suffer from Oblomovism. And in the last chapters it becomes clear that there is nothing behind Stolz's diligence. This person has neither dreams nor high ideas. It acquires sufficient means of subsistence and stops without continuing its development. The influence of the "extra person" on those around It is also worth saying a few words about the heroes who surround the "extra person".
The literary characters discussed in this article are lonely, unhappy. Some of them end their lives too soon. In addition, "superfluous people" bring grief to others. Especially women who had the imprudence to love them. Pierre Bezukhov is sometimes also referred to as "superfluous people". In the first part of the novel, he is in constant anguish, searching for something. He spends a lot of time at parties, buys paintings, reads a lot. Unlike the aforementioned heroes, Bezukhov finds himself, he does not die either physically or morally.
