Reviews

Fathers and Children by Ivan Turgenev

kgfugate8299's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

sidharthvardhan's review against another edition

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4.0

The first time I heard of Turgenev, it was Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky parodied Turgenev in his character 'Karmazinov' in novel 'Demons' for writing 'Fathers and Sons'. Turgenev's novel is based on the nihilist generation and the differences they had with the previous generation - that of socialists. The 'nihilist' son Bazarov in the novel refuse to believe in anything based solely on authority - whether it be established sciences, practices, arts or traditions. The 'fathers' in the book are in too much of awe for their sons and even have some sort of guilty conscience to produce arguments for their way of thinking. However the nihilism has its own problems. (to began with, nihilism is based on 'belief' that nothing is worth believing and is thus paradoxical).Even if you have good reasons to defy authority, often people tend to develop it as a habit and defy authority just for sake of it. Bazarov of the story struggles with his feelings of love just because it is a feeling in established tradition. Thus, Turgenev did brought out the fact that nihilism was not without its faults.

But the character of the Bazarov so attractive to the younger minds of the time that the novel made the word 'Nihilism' popular all over the world (he might have seemed just so 'cool') . This is probably why Dostoevsky was so critical of him - perhaps, Dostoevsky (always fascinated with new ideas, yet never letting them blind him so much as to not to see their faults) believed that 'nihilism' is much worse than Turgenev portrays it. Dostoevsky's 'Demons' (written a decade later) is based on similar themes - the divide between socialist father and nihilist son. However the nihilists and one idea people in Demons are in anguish because of their ideas or lack thereof. Stavrogin, the nihilist son in Demons, appeared 'cool' - a sort of 'Don Juan' too in the beginning of novel but as you read on, you discover that he was and is always struggling to find something to believe in. There are suicides all around in Demons - suicides and murders. When Harvey Dent in 'The Dark Knight' sees his world coming down and his belief system shattered, he starts making attempts on lives of people all around - including his own life. that a strong nihilism might make you want to commit suicide is something Camus too struggles with in his essay 'Myth of Sisyphus' - a long argument against suicide which quotes Dostoevsky's 'Demons' several times. Obsession with just one idea either makes you dull or frantic or both. Refusing to believe in anything at all might be cool at start for intellectual introspection but it drains you of energy, it is human nature to always search for, look for things to believe in, people need a belief system just like they need a ground to walk on.

isasai's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Such a beautiful book. Characters were very likeable and writing was incredible.

asgard224's review against another edition

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4.0

Apărut în aceeași perioadă cu Oblomov(1859), romanul lui Turgheniev introduce tipul personajului nihilist, Bazarov, student la medicină. Este însoțit de Arkadi, prietenul său, care-i împărtășește în mod superficial convingerile. Cei doi își vizitează părinții, în decursul cărora se naște un conflict de idei între "părinți" și "copii", fiecare având concepții politice și sociale opuse. Acestea sunt puse la încercare atunci când Bazarov se îndrăgostește:

"Sângele i se aprindea de îndată ce se gândea la ea. Ar fi stăvilit el ușor pornirile sângelui, dar pătrunsese în el ceva nou, ceva ce nu voise niciodată să admită, de care râsese totdeauna și care îi jignea mândria. În discuțiile cu Anna Sergheevna își arăta mai mult decât înainte disprețul rece față de tot ce e romantic, dar, odată rămas singur, recunoștea cu indignare că și el ajunsese romantic. Atunci pleca în pădure, umbla cu pași mari rupând crengile ce i se iveau în cale, blestemând-o printre dinți atât pe ea cât și pe el; sau se cățăra în podul cu fân de deasupra hambarului și, închizând ochii cu încăpățânare, se silea să adoarmă, ceea ce bineînțeles nu izbutea totdeauna."

În urma unui duel, Bazarov se mută la părinții săi, care îl întâmpină cu căldură, pentru a lucra ca medic. I se prescrie un destin tragic.

crossmaster_flash's review against another edition

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5.0

Unyieldingly timeless

darlingfleur's review against another edition

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4.0

[Read for IB English] The beginning of the book was painfully boring, however the last part was super fun to read. Bazarov was so annoying, it infuriated me - 4/5 stars

alexandre_rl's review against another edition

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4.0

Classique de la littérature russe qui met en scène le conflit des générations entre une jeunesse nihiliste et révolutionnaire et leurs "pères" aux valeurs traditionnelles et conservatrices. Les personnages principaux sont assez agaçants et pleins d'eux-mêmes, mais ça fait partie du récit, donc on ne peut pas blâmer l'auteur. Ils servent souvent de véhicules pour des idées, mais dans l'ensemble les dialogues demeurent crédibles et vivants. Une lecture assez divertissante, souvent drôle, au style accessible.

greesman's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

gijshuppertz's review against another edition

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5.0

Voor de complete review van zowel Vijf Jagersverhalen, Eerste Liefde en Vaders en Zonen, zie https://ongeduld.com/2021/11/27/vijf-jagersverhalen-eerste-liefde-vaders-en-zonen-van-ivan-toergenjev/

Voor deze week heb ik besloten drie werken van mijn favoriete schrijver te belichten, Ivan Toergenjev. De werken waar, die in volgorde van publicatie besproken zullen worden, zijn; Vijf Jagersverhalen (Записки охотника) uit 1852, Eerste Liefde (Первая любовь) uit 1860 en als laatste Vaders en Zonen (Отцы и дети) uit 1862.
Allereerst enig woord over Toergenjev zelf. Ivan Sergejevitsj Toergenjev (1818) is naar mijn inzichten de vader auteur over Tolstoj en Dostojevski. Hij lag met hen regelmatig in de clinch, sterker nog Tolstoj heeft hem ooit uitgedaagd voor een duel en met Dostojevski lag hij ook moeilijk. Desondanks motiveerde Toergenjev toen hij op zijn sterfbed lag, Tolstoj om verder te schrijven, omdat daar zijn roeping zou liggen. Toen Dostojevski financieel lastig zat zorgde ook Toergenjev ervoor dat een deel van de schulden afbetaald werden. Kortom zijn verhouding tot Dostojevski en Tolstoj is vergelijkbaar met de verhoudingen tussen in Vaders en Zonen.

Het eerste werk, Vijf Jagersverhalen, zorgde voor publieke bekendheid van Toergenjev zijn werk. Deze realistische stijl van schrijven over het leven van de simpele Rus en de verschillende slaven op de grootgrondgebieden van Rusland bracht Toergenjev zijn faam. Tevens zorgde dit werk ervoor dat de publieke opinie langzamerhand tegen het houden van slaven draaide. Zijn tweede werk, Eerste Liefde, is een prachtige uiteenzetting van een jongeman wiens eerste liefde niet wordt beantwoord en de frustratie en onwetendheid die hem bevangt. Het is een boek dat het innerlijke leven goed weet te beschrijven en een mooie introductie tot Toergenjev zijn werk.

In mijn optiek de echt parel is, Vaders en Zonen. Hier zet Toergenjev een generatieconflict uiteen. De ouders van beide hoofdpersonen weerspiegelen de oude traditionele orde terwijl de hoofdpersonen Arkady en Bazarov de nihilistische, materialistische jeugd vertolken. Bazarov wordt ook wel de eerste Bolsjewiek genoemd met zijn fervente houding jegens traditie, geloof, gewoonte en het pleitten voor ratio en materialisme. Het is een boek dat de pijn beschrijft van ouders die zichzelf in minder prominent licht zien staan en de tijd hen voorbij ziet gaan. Het boek blijkt ook accuraat in de huidige tijd. Het leven tussen extremen, de generatieconflicten en de familieproblematiek is hoogstwaarschijnlijk ook nu herkenbaar voor velen.

De laatste roman bracht Toergenjev uit het publieke leven. De rechtse flank in Rusland vond dat de nihilisten niet hard genoeg werden aangepakt terwijl de linker flank het tegenovergestelde beargumenteerde. De eindconclusie was dat geen van beide tevreden waren en Toergenjev uit de publieke opinie viel. Ik persoonlijk ben van mening dat Toergenjev stond voor de balans tussen de extremen. Hij vond dat de radicalisering men tegenover elkaar stelde en dat hieruit geen harmonie gevonden kon worden. Deze boodschap blijft in mijn optiek een tijdloze en zeer waardevolle boodschap en maakt wellicht het herlezen van Vaders en Zonen in deze huidige bewogen tijd het zeker waard.

byp's review against another edition

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5.0

I once knew a guy with a dog named Basarov. Now I know that guy was a tool.