Ilya Ilyich Oblomov life character fate. Positive qualities of Oblomov
Introduction
Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” is a landmark work of Russian literature of the 19th century, describing the phenomenon of “Oblomovism” characteristic of Russian society. A prominent representative of this social trend in the book is Ilya Oblomov, who comes from a family of landowners, whose family structure was a reflection of the norms and rules of Domostroy. Developing in such an atmosphere, the hero gradually absorbed the values and priorities of his parents, which significantly influenced the formation of his personality. A brief description of Oblomov in the novel “Oblomov” is given by the author at the beginning of the work - he is an apathetic, introverted, dreamy man who prefers to live his life in dreams and illusions, imagining and experiencing fictional pictures so vividly that sometimes he can sincerely rejoice or cry from those scenes that are born in his mind. Oblomov’s inner softness and sensuality seemed to be reflected in his appearance: all his movements, even in moments of alarm, were restrained by external softness, grace and delicacy, excessive for a man. The hero was flabby beyond his years, had soft shoulders and small plump hands, and a sedentary and inactive lifestyle was visible in his sleepy gaze, in which there was no concentration or any basic idea.
Life of Oblomov
As if a continuation of the soft, apathetic, lazy Oblomov, the novel describes the hero’s life. At first glance, his room was beautifully decorated: “There was a mahogany bureau, two sofas upholstered in silk, beautiful screens with embroidered birds and fruits unprecedented in nature. There were silk curtains, carpets, several paintings, bronze, porcelain and many beautiful little things.” However, if you looked closely, you could see cobwebs, dusty mirrors and long-opened and forgotten books, stains on the carpets, uncleaned household items, bread crumbs and even a forgotten plate with a gnawed bone. All this made the hero’s room unkempt, abandoned, and gave the impression that no one had been living here for a long time: the owners had long since left the home without having time to clean it up. To some extent, this was true: Oblomov did not live in the real world for a long time, replacing it with an illusory world. This is especially clearly visible in the episode when his acquaintances come to the hero, but Ilya Ilyich does not even bother to extend his hand to them to greet them, much less get out of bed to meet the visitors. The bed in this case (like the robe) is a borderline between the world of dreams and reality, that is, having gotten out of bed, Oblomov would to some extent agree to live in the real dimension, but the hero did not want this.
The influence of “Oblomovism” on Oblomov’s personality
The origins of Oblomov’s all-encompassing escapism, his irresistible desire to escape from reality, lie in the “Oblomov” upbringing of the hero, which the reader learns about from the description of Ilya Ilyich’s dream. The character’s native estate, Oblomovka, was located far from the central part of Russia, located in a picturesque, peaceful area, where there were never strong storms or hurricanes, and the climate was calm and mild. Life in the village flowed smoothly, and time was measured not in seconds and minutes, but in holidays and rituals - births, weddings or funerals. The monotonous, quiet nature was also reflected in the character of the inhabitants of Oblomovka - the most important value for them was rest, laziness and the opportunity to eat to their fill. Work was seen as a punishment, and people tried in every possible way to avoid it, delay the moment of work, or force someone else to do it.
It is noteworthy that the characterization of the hero Oblomov in childhood differs significantly from the image that appears before readers at the beginning of the novel. Little Ilya was an active child, interested in many things and open to the world, with a wonderful imagination. He liked to walk and explore the surrounding nature, but the rules of “Oblomov’s” life did not imply his freedom, so gradually his parents re-educated him in their own image and likeness, raising him like a “greenhouse plant,” protecting him from the adversities of the outside world, the need to work and learn new things. Even the fact that they sent Ilya to study was more a tribute to fashion than a real necessity, because for any slightest reason they themselves left their son at home. As a result, the hero grew up as if closed from society, unwilling to work and relying in everything on the fact that if any difficulties arose he could shout “Zakhar” and the servant would come and do everything for him.
The reasons for Oblomov’s desire to escape reality
The description of Oblomov, the hero of Goncharov’s novel, gives a vivid idea of Ilya Ilyich as a man who has firmly fenced himself off from the real world and internally does not want to change. The reasons for this lie in Oblomov’s childhood. Little Ilya loved to listen to fairy tales and legends about great heroes and heroes that his nanny told him, and then imagine himself as one of these characters - a person in whose life at one moment a miracle would happen that would change the current state of affairs and make the hero a cut above others. However, fairy tales are significantly different from life, where miracles do not happen on their own, and to achieve success in society and career you need to constantly work, overcome failures and persistently move forward.
The hothouse upbringing, where Oblomov was taught that someone else would do all the work for him, combined with the dreamy, sensual nature of the hero, led to Ilya Ilyich’s inability to fight difficulties. This feature of Oblomov manifested itself even at the moment of his first failure in the service - the hero, fearing punishment (although, perhaps, no one would have punished him, and the matter would have been decided by a banal warning), he quits his job and no longer wants to face a world where everyone for myself. An alternative to harsh reality for the hero is the world of his dreams, where he imagines a wonderful future in Oblomovka, his wife and children, a peaceful calm that reminds him of his own childhood. However, all these dreams remain just dreams; in reality, Ilya Ilyich puts off in every possible way the issues of arranging his native village, which, without the participation of a reasonable owner, is gradually being destroyed.
Why didn’t Oblomov find himself in real life?
The only person who could pull Oblomov out of his constant half-asleep idleness was the hero’s childhood friend, Andrei Ivanovich Stolts. He was the complete opposite of Ilya Ilyich both in appearance and in character. Always active, striving forward, able to achieve any goals, Andrei Ivanovich still valued his friendship with Oblomov, since in communicating with him he found that warmth and understanding that he really lacked in those around him.
Stolz was most fully aware of the destructive influence of “Oblomovism” on Ilya Ilyich, therefore, until the last moment, he tried with all his might to pull him into real life. One time Andrei Ivanovich almost succeeded when he introduced Oblomov to Ilyinskaya. But Olga, in her desire to change the personality of Ilya Ilyich, was driven solely by her own egoism, and not by an altruistic desire to help her loved one. At the moment of parting, the girl tells Oblomov that she could not bring him back to life, because he was already dead. On the one hand, this is true, the hero is too deeply mired in “Oblomovism,” and in order to change his attitude towards life, superhuman efforts and patience were required. On the other hand, Ilyinskaya, active and purposeful by nature, did not understand that Ilya Ilyich needed time to transform, and he could not change himself and his life in one jerk. The break with Olga became an even greater failure for Oblomov than a mistake in the service, so he finally plunges into the network of “Oblomovism”, leaves the real world, not wanting to experience any more mental pain.
Conclusion
The author's characterization of Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, despite the fact that the hero is the central character, is ambiguous. Goncharov reveals both his positive traits (kindness, tenderness, sensuality, ability to worry and sympathize) and negative ones (laziness, apathy, reluctance to decide anything on his own, refusal to self-development), portraying to the reader a multifaceted personality that can evoke sympathy , and disgust. At the same time, Ilya Ilyich is undoubtedly one of the most accurate depictions of a truly Russian person, his nature and character traits. It is precisely this ambiguity and versatility of Oblomov’s image that allows even modern readers to discover something important for themselves in the novel, asking themselves those eternal questions that Goncharov raised in the novel.
Work test
The main character of the novel is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, a landowner who, however, lives permanently in St. Petersburg. Oblomov's character is perfectly maintained throughout the novel. It is far from being as simple as it might seem at first glance. The main character traits of Oblomov are an almost painful weakness of will, expressed in laziness and apathy, then a lack of living interests and desires, fear of life, fear of any changes in general.
But, along with these negative traits, there are also major positive ones in him: remarkable spiritual purity and sensitivity, good nature, cordiality and tenderness; Oblomov has a “crystal soul,” as Stolz puts it; these traits attract to him the sympathy of everyone who comes into close contact with him: Stolz, Olga, Zakhar, Agafya Matveevna, even his former colleagues who visit him in the first part of the novel. Moreover, Oblomov is far from stupid by nature, but his mental abilities are dormant, suppressed by laziness; He has both a desire for good and a consciousness of the need to do something for the common good (for example, for his peasants), but all these good inclinations are completely paralyzed in him by apathy and lack of will. All these character traits of Oblomov appear brightly and prominently in the novel, despite the fact that there is little action in it; in this case, this is not a drawback of the work, since it fully corresponds to the apathetic, inactive nature of the main character. The brightness of the characterization is achieved mainly through the accumulation of small but characteristic details that vividly depict the habits and inclinations of the person depicted; Thus, just from the description of Oblomov’s apartment and its furnishings on the first pages of the novel, one can get a fairly accurate idea of the personality of the owner himself. This method of characterization is one of Goncharov’s favorite artistic techniques; That’s why in his works there are so many small details of everyday life, furnishings, etc.
In the first part of the novel, Goncharov introduces us to Oblomov’s lifestyle, his habits, and also talks about his past, how his character developed. During this entire part, which describes one “morning” of Oblomov, he almost never leaves his bed; in general, lying on a bed or on a sofa, in a soft robe, was, according to Goncharov, his “normal state.” Any activity tired him; Oblomov once tried to serve, but not for long, because he could not get used to the demands of the service, to strict accuracy and diligence; a fussy official life, writing papers, the purpose of which was sometimes unknown to him, the fear of making mistakes - all this weighed on Oblomov, and, having once sent an official paper instead of Astrakhan to Arkhangelsk, he chose to resign. Since then, he lived at home, almost never leaving: neither to society, nor to the theater, almost never leaving his beloved deceased robe. His time passed in a lazy “crawling from day to day,” in idle doing nothing or in no less idle dreams of great exploits, of glory. This play of imagination occupied and amused him, in the absence of other, more serious mental interests. Like any serious work that requires attention and concentration, reading tired him; therefore, he read almost nothing, did not follow life in the newspapers, content with the rumors that rare guests brought to him; the half-read book, unfolded in the middle, turned yellow and became covered with dust, and in the inkwell, instead of ink, there were only flies. Every extra step, every effort of will was beyond his power; Even concern for himself, for his own well-being, weighed on him, and he willingly left it to others, for example, Zakhar, or relied on “maybe,” on the fact that “somehow everything will work out.” Whenever a serious decision had to be made, he complained that “life touches you everywhere.” His ideal was a calm, peaceful life, without worries and without any changes, so that “today” would be like “yesterday”, and “tomorrow” would be like “today”. Everything that disturbed the monotonous course of his existence, every concern, every change frightened and depressed him. The letter from the headman, who demanded his orders, and the need to move out of the apartment seemed to him real “misfortunes,” in his own words, and he only calmed down with the fact that somehow all this would work out.
But if there were no other traits in Oblomov’s character other than laziness, apathy, weak-willedness, mental slumber, then he, of course, could not have interested the reader in himself, and Olga would not have been interested in him, and could not have served as the hero of an entire extensive novel. To do this, it is necessary that these negative aspects of his character be balanced by equally important positive ones that can arouse our sympathy. And Goncharov, indeed, from the very first chapters shows these personality traits of Oblomov. In order to more clearly highlight its positive, sympathetic sides, Goncharov introduced several episodic persons who appear in the novel only once and then disappear from its pages without a trace. This is Volkov, an empty socialite, a dandy, looking for only pleasures in life, alien to any serious interests, leading a noisy and active life, but nevertheless completely devoid of internal content; then Sudbinsky, a careerist official, completely immersed in the petty interests of the official world and paperwork, and “for the rest of the world he is blind and deaf,” as Oblomov puts it; Penkin, a minor writer of a satirical, accusatory direction: he boasts that in his essays he brings weaknesses and vices to everyone’s ridicule, seeing in this the true calling of literature: but his self-satisfied words cause rebuff from Oblomov, who finds in the works of the new school only slavish loyalty to nature, but too little soul, little love for the subject of the image, little true “humanity”. In the stories that Penkin admires, according to Oblomov, there are no “invisible tears,” but only visible, rough laughter; By depicting fallen people, the authors “forget man.” “You want to write with only your head! - he exclaims, - do you think that a heart is not needed for thought? No, she is fertilized by love. Extend your hand to a fallen person to lift him up, or weep bitterly over him if he dies, and do not mock him. Love him, remember yourself in him... then I will begin to read you and bow my head before you...” From these words of Oblomov it is clear that his view of the vocation of literature and its demands from a writer is much more serious and lofty than that of a professional writer Penkin, who, in his words, “wastes his thought, his soul on trifles, trades in his mind and imagination.” Finally, Goncharov introduces a certain Alekseev, “a man of uncertain years, with an indeterminate physiognomy,” who has nothing of his own: neither his tastes, nor his desires, nor his sympathies: Goncharov introduced this Alekseev, obviously, in order to show, through comparison, that Oblomov, despite all his spinelessness, is not at all distinguished by impersonality, that he has his own specific moral physiognomy.
Thus, a comparison with these episodic persons shows that Oblomov was mentally and morally superior to the people around him, that he understood the insignificance and illusory nature of the interests in which they were keen. But Oblomov not only could, but also knew how, “in his clear, conscious moments,” be critical of the surrounding society and himself, recognize his own shortcomings and suffer heavily from this consciousness. Then memories of his youth awakened in his memory, when he was at the university with Stolz, studied science, translated serious scientific works, was fond of poetry: Schiller, Goethe, Byron, dreamed of future activities, of fruitful work for the common benefit. Obviously, at this time Oblomov was also influenced by the idealistic hobbies that dominated among Russian youth of the 30s and 40s. But this influence was fragile, because Oblomov’s apathetic nature was not characterized by long-term passion, just as systematic hard work was unusual. At the university, Oblomov was content to passively assimilate the ready-made conclusions of science, without thinking them through on his own, without defining their mutual relationship, without bringing them into a harmonious connection and system. Therefore, “his head represented a complex archive of dead affairs, persons, eras, figures, unrelated political-economic, mathematical and other truths, tasks, provisions, etc. It was as if a library consisting of some scattered volumes in different parts knowledge. The teaching had a strange effect on Ilya Ilyich: between science and life there lay a whole abyss, which he did not try to cross. “He had life on its own, and science on its own.” Knowledge divorced from life, of course, could not be fruitful. Oblomov felt that he, as an educated person, needed to do something, he was aware of his duty, for example, to the people, to his peasants, he wanted to arrange their fate, improve their situation, but everything was limited only to many years of thinking about a plan for economic reforms, and the actual management of the farm and the peasants remained in the hands of the illiterate headman; and the conceived plan could hardly have practical significance in view of the fact that Oblomov, as he himself admits, did not have a clear understanding of village life, did not know “what corvee is, what rural labor is, what a poor man means, what a rich man means.”
Such ignorance of real life, with a vague desire to do something useful, brings Oblomov closer to the idealists of the 40s, and especially to the “superfluous people,” as they are portrayed by Turgenev.
Like “superfluous people,” Oblomov sometimes became imbued with the consciousness of his powerlessness, his inability to live and act; at the moment of such consciousness, “he felt sad and painful for his underdevelopment, the stop in the growth of moral forces, for the heaviness that interfered with everything; and envy gnawed at him that others lived so fully and widely, while it was as if a heavy stone had been thrown on the narrow and pitiful path of his existence... And meanwhile, he painfully felt that some kind of... that good, bright beginning, perhaps now already dead, or it lies like gold in the depths of the mountains, and it would be high time for this gold to be a walking coin.” The consciousness that he was not living as he should, vaguely wandered in his soul, he suffered from this consciousness, sometimes cried bitter tears of powerlessness, but could not decide on any change in life, and soon calmed down again, which was facilitated by his apathetic nature, incapable of a strong uplift of spirit. When Zakhar carelessly decided to compare him with “others,” Oblomov was severely offended by this, and not only because he felt offended in his lordly pride, but also because in the depths of his soul he realized that this comparison with “others” was going far from in his favor.
When Stolz asks Zakhar what Oblomov is, he replies that he is a “master.” This is a naive, but quite accurate definition. Oblomov is, indeed, a representative of the old serf lordship, a “master,” that is, a man who “has Zakhar and three hundred more Zakharovs,” as Goncharov himself puts it about him. Using the example of Oblomov, Goncharov thus showed how detrimentally serfdom affected the nobility itself, preventing the generation of energy, perseverance, initiative, and work habits. In former times, compulsory public service maintained in the service class these qualities necessary for life, which began to gradually fade away since compulsory service was abolished. The best people among the nobility have long realized the injustice of this order of things created by serfdom; The government, starting with Catherine II, wondered about its abolition; literature, in the person of Goncharov, showed its detrimental nature for the nobility itself.
“It started with the inability to put on stockings, and ended with the inability to live,” Stolz aptly put it about Oblomov. Oblomov himself is aware of his inability to live and act, his inability to adapt, the result of which is a vague but painful fear of life. This consciousness is the tragic feature in Oblomov’s character, which sharply separates him from the former “Oblomovites.” They were whole natures, with a strong, albeit simple-minded, worldview, alien to any doubts, any internal duality. In contrast to them, there is precisely this duality in Oblomov’s character; it was brought into it by the influence of Stolz and the education he received. For Oblomov it was already psychologically impossible to lead the same calm and complacent existence that his fathers and grandfathers led, because deep down in his soul he still felt that he was not living as he should and as “others” like Stolz lived. Oblomov already has a consciousness of the need to do something, to be useful, to live not for himself alone; He also has a consciousness of his duty to the peasants, whose labors he uses; he is developing a “plan” for a new structure of village life, where the interests of the peasants are also taken into account, although Oblomov does not at all think about the possibility and desirability of the complete abolition of serfdom. Until this “plan” is completed, he does not consider it possible to move to Oblomovka, but, of course, nothing comes of his work, because he lacks either knowledge of rural life, perseverance, diligence, or real conviction in the feasibility of the “plan” itself. " Oblomov grieves heavily at times, suffers in the consciousness of his unfitness, but is unable to change his character. His will is paralyzed, every action, every decisive step frightens him: he is afraid of life, just as in Oblomovka they were afraid of the ravine, about which there were various unkind rumors.
The hero of the novel, Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, is a young man not devoid of positive qualities. He is kind, smart, simple-minded. Its main drawback is the inertia and indecision absorbed with mother's milk. His character is a direct consequence of his upbringing. From childhood, not accustomed to work, the spoiled boy did not know the joy of activity. An ideal life, in his understanding, is a carefree period of time between sleep and eating. Having matured, he does not see the point in work; it only brings him a feeling of annoyance. Under a ridiculous pretext, he resigns from his position.
The tragedy of the hero is that he is deprived of the urgent need to earn a piece of bread. The family estate brings him little real income. It, in fact, is the subject of his daily meaningless dreams.
The hero's inactivity is even more pronounced in contrast with his active friend Stolz, a hereditary German. They say about these that the wolf’s legs feed him. He gets his daily bread through painstaking work. At the same time, he reaps not only the difficulties, but, at the same time, the delights of an action-packed life.
In the novel, the author asks himself the question of what “Oblomovism” is? Is this the tragedy of the children of hereditary landowners, instilled in them from childhood or an original Russian character trait? Is it possible to break out of a vicious circle through an effort of will or to end a life that is meaningless for society without doing anything? What is the meaning of existence for someone affected by pathological laziness? And only a thinking reader will understand that the author is concerned about the future of the state against the background of the collective image of his character.
Having written his novel about an inert middle-class landowner, I. A. Goncharov introduced the term “Oblomovism” into the Russian language, on behalf of its main character. It means peacefully passive idleness, meaningless, idle pastime. Fear of going beyond the comfortable state of half-asleep.
Option 2
Ilya Oblomov is the main character in the novel “Oblomov” by I.A. Goncharova.
Oblomov is thirty-two to thirty-three years old. He had average height, small hands, a plump body and dark gray eyes. In general, he had a pleasant appearance.
Ilya is a hereditary nobleman. As a child, I was an active and energetic child, but my parents stopped this. He was not burdened with any problems. They didn’t let him do anything on his own; the servants even put on his socks. Oblomov is an educated person in law and legal proceedings. Now he is a retired official. He served in St. Petersburg, but he got tired of it, and Ilya left. Oblomov never had affairs with women. They started, but ended immediately. He had only one close friend - the complete opposite of Ilya - Andrei Stolts. The main character is a thoughtful and melancholic person. He often thinks about something while lying on the sofa. He doesn’t finish anything: he studied English and gave up, he studied mathematics and also gave up. Considers studying to be a waste of time. Its development has long stopped.
Now Oblomov has his own estate, but he is not involved in it. Sometimes Stolz takes over and resolves some issues. Ilya often and carefully thinks about how he could improve it, but it doesn’t come to practice.
He doesn't like to go out into the world. Only his friend Andrey manages to get him out into the public eye. Also, only because of him Oblomov can read a couple of books, but without interest, lazily.
The main character is very concerned about his health and is afraid of getting sick. However, he spends most of his time at home in a lying position. His old servant, Zakhar, does all the work for him. Oblomov often overeats. He knows that this is harmful to the body, but he has done this all his life and is used to it. Doctors often examine him and advise him to completely change his lifestyle in order to feel better. But Ilya only uses this as an excuse to do nothing, claiming that he is sick.
Oblomov has a very kind heart and is able to help people. Later he will marry Agafya Pshenitsina and adopt her children, whom he will raise with his own money. She will not bring him anything new; she will only be an addition to his usual way of life. Sometimes Ilya thinks about himself like this, and his conscience torments him. He begins to envy other people who have an interesting and luxurious life. Everyone tries to blame someone for their lifestyle, but finds no one.
Essay about Oblomov
“He was a man about thirty-two or three years old, of average height, pleasant appearance, with dark gray eyes, but with the absence of any definite idea, any concentration in his facial features.” Thus, with a description of Oblomov, I.A.’s novel begins. Goncharova.
At first glance, Oblomov is apathetic, lazy and indifferent. He can lie on the bed for a long time and think about something of his own or be in his dream world. Oblomov doesn’t even notice the cobwebs on the walls or the dust on the mirrors. However, this is only the first impression.
The first visitor is Volkov. Oblomov didn’t even get out of bed. Volkov is a young man of twenty-five years old, dressed in the latest fashion, combed and in good health. Oblomov’s first reaction to Volkov was: “Don’t come, don’t come: you’re coming from the cold!” Despite all Volkov’s attempts to invite Oblomov to dinner or to Ekateringof, Ilya Ilyich refuses and remains at home, seeing no point in traveling.
After Volkov leaves, Oblomov turns over on his back and talks about Volkov, but his thoughts are interrupted by another call. This time Sudbinsky came to him. This time Ilya Ilyich's reaction was similar. Sudbinsky invites Oblomov to dinner with the Murashins, but even here Oblomov refuses.
The third guest was Penkin. “Still the same incorrigible, carefree sloth!” says Penkin. Oblomov and Penkin discuss the story, and Penkin asks Oblomov to read the story “The Love of a Bribe Taker for a Fallen Woman,” but a brief retelling makes Ilya Ilyich angry. After all, the story ridicules vice, contempt for fallen man, to which Oblomov reacts ambiguously. He understands that any thief or fallen woman is first and foremost a person.
However, Oblomov’s essence is fully revealed through love. Love for Olga Ilyinskaya inspires him. He reads, develops for her sake, Oblomov blossoms, dreams of a happy future together. But realizing that he is not ready to change completely, realizing that he cannot give Olga what she needs, realizing that he is not created for her, he retreats. He understands that he will not be able to find the long-awaited happiness with Ilyinskaya. But after a while, he develops a relationship with Pshenitsina, which will be built on love and respect.
The attitude towards Oblomov cannot be unambiguous. The character of the hero is multifaceted. On the one hand, he is lazy and passive, but on the other, he is smart, he understands human psychology, he knows how to love and is capable of much for the sake of love. In conclusion, we can say that all the qualities of a Russian person are collected in one character.
Option 4
The main character of the novel of the same name "Oblomov" A.I. Goncharova is about thirty-two or thirty-three years old. He is a young man, not without a pleasant appearance, and a fairly educated man, a hereditary nobleman. Oblomov Ilya Ilyich is kind, quite smart and childishly simple-minded.
However, all the positive traits are overshadowed by one negative one - pathological laziness settled in his thoughts and over time took over Oblomov’s entire body. The body of the young nobleman has become flabby, has become loose and feminine - Ilya Ilyich does not bother himself with either mental or physical stress, preferring to lie on the sofa almost all the time and dream about how to do nothing more. “As if everything would happen by itself!” - this is his life credo.
Having inherited an estate that provides a small but stable income, Oblomov does not improve anything in it and does not strive to ensure that his affairs prosper. Out of laziness, Ilya Ilyich threw all his worries regarding the estate onto the manager, who mercilessly and shamelessly robs him. Oblomov's servant Zakhar performs minor daily chores. And Ilya Ilyich himself prefers to lie on the sofa all day and daydream - a kind of “sofa dreamer”.
His dreams take him very far - in his dreams he would improve a lot on his estate, becoming even richer, but his dreams are meaningless. He doesn't even try to implement them. Dreams collide with his inertia and infantilism and are broken daily, turning into unrealistic, foggy dreams that end up settling on the sofa, enveloping Oblomov.
Why is there an estate - Oblomov is too lazy to even go on a visit. When he is invited to go on a visit, he avoids visits under far-fetched pretexts, remaining lying on his dear sofa. Oblomov does not like to go out - it is lazy and uninteresting to him.
Realizing that he was not developing spiritually and could not give anything to his chosen one except maintenance, Oblomov even abandoned his love for Olga Ilyinskaya. At first, Ilya Ilyich tried to change for the sake of Olga, began to read a lot in order to achieve spiritual development at her level, and dreamed of a happy future with the woman he loved. But he was not ready to change completely even with love - Oblomov was stopped by fear of irreversible changes and he gave up his dream. He was completely satisfied with his current life as a couch potato and even such strong passions as love and passion for a woman did not motivate him to get up from his favorite sofa.
Oblomov was made so inert and inactive by his own parents, who from childhood instilled in their son that all important things should be done for him by others. They suppressed any manifestation of the boy’s activity, and gradually Ilya turned into a desperate sloth. This is how not only Ilya Ilyich Oblomov lived in those days - many scions of the noble family lived this way. The author created a collective image of a sybarite of noble origin of that time and called this phenomenon “Oblomovism.” The writer was worried about the fate of Russia and he was afraid that such “Oblomovs” would rule it.
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We are just a grain of sand in a vast and vast cosmos. Our problems, joys, ups and downs happen on one small green ball that revolves lonely around another star.
Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” was written during the period of transition of Russian society from outdated, home-building traditions and values to new, educational views and ideas. This process became the most complex and difficult for representatives of the landowner social class, as it required an almost complete rejection of the usual way of life and was associated with the need to adapt to new, more dynamic and rapidly changing conditions. And if part of society easily adapted to the new circumstances, for others the transition process turned out to be very difficult, since it was essentially opposed to the usual way of life of their parents, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. The representative of precisely such landowners, who failed to change with the world, adapting to it, in the novel is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. According to the plot of the work, the hero was born in a village far from the capital of Russia - Oblomovka, where he received a classic landowner, house-building education, which formed many of the main character traits of Oblomov - weak-willedness, apathy, lack of initiative, laziness, reluctance to work and the expectation that someone will do everything for him. Excessive parental care, constant prohibitions, and the pacifying and lazy atmosphere of Oblomovka led to a deformation of the character of a curious and active boy, making him introverted, prone to escapism and unable to overcome even the most minor difficulties.
The inconsistency of Oblomov’s character in the novel “Oblomov”
The negative side of Oblomov’s character
In the novel, Ilya Ilyich does not decide anything on his own, hoping for help from the outside - Zakhar, who will bring him food or clothes, Stolz, who is able to solve the problems in Oblomovka, Tarantiev, who, although he will deceive, will himself figure out the situation that interests Oblomov, etc. The hero is not interested in real life, it causes him boredom and fatigue, while he finds true peace and satisfaction in the world of illusions he himself has invented. Spending all his days lying on the sofa, Oblomov makes unrealistic plans for the arrangement of Oblomovka and his happy family life, in many ways similar to the calm, monotonous atmosphere of his childhood. All his dreams are directed to the past, even the future that he imagines for himself - echoes of a distant past that can no longer be returned.
It would seem that a lazy, lumbering hero living in an untidy apartment cannot evoke sympathy and affection from the reader, especially against the backdrop of Ilya Ilyich’s active, purposeful friend, Stolz. However, Oblomov’s true essence is revealed gradually, which allows us to see all the versatility and inner unrealized potential of the hero. Even as a child, surrounded by quiet nature, the care and control of his parents, the sensitive, dreamy Ilya was deprived of the most important thing - knowledge of the world through its opposites - beauty and ugliness, victories and defeats, the need to do something and the joy of what was gained through one’s own labor. From an early age, the hero had everything he needed - helpful servants carried out orders at the first call, and his parents spoiled their son in every possible way. Finding himself outside his parents' nest, Oblomov, not ready for the real world, continues to expect that everyone around him will treat him as warmly and welcomingly as in his native Oblomovka. However, his hopes were destroyed already in the first days in the service, where no one cared about him, and everyone was only for themselves. Deprived of the will to live, the ability to fight for his place in the sun and perseverance, Oblomov, after an accidental mistake, leaves the service himself, fearing punishment from his superiors. The very first failure becomes the last for the hero - he no longer wants to move forward, hiding from the real, “cruel” world in his dreams.
Positive side of Oblomov’s character
The person who could pull Oblomov out of this passive state leading to personality degradation was Andrei Ivanovich Stolts. Perhaps Stolz is the only character in the novel who thoroughly saw not only the negative, but also the positive traits of Oblomov: sincerity, kindness, the ability to feel and understand the problems of another person, inner calm and simplicity. It was to Ilya Ilyich that Stolz came in difficult moments, when he needed support and understanding. Oblomov’s dove-like tenderness, sensuality and sincerity are also revealed during his relationship with Olga. Ilya Ilyich is the first to realize that he is not suitable for the active, purposeful Ilyinskaya, who does not want to devote herself to “Oblomov” values - this reveals him as a subtle psychologist. Oblomov is ready to give up his own love, because he understands that he cannot give Olga the happiness she dreams of.
Oblomov’s character and fate are closely connected - his lack of will, inability to fight for his happiness, together with spiritual kindness and gentleness, lead to tragic consequences - fear of the difficulties and sorrows of reality, as well as the hero’s complete withdrawal into the pacifying, calm, wonderful world of illusions.
National character in the novel "Oblomov"
The image of Oblomov in Goncharov’s novel is a reflection of the national Russian character, its ambiguity and versatility. Ilya Ilyich is the same archetypal Emelya the fool on the stove, about whom the nanny told the hero in childhood. Like the character in the fairy tale, Oblomov believes in a miracle that should happen to him by itself: a supportive firebird or a kind sorceress will appear and take him to the wonderful world of honey and milk rivers. And the chosen one of the sorceress should not be a bright, hard-working, active hero, but always “quiet, harmless,” “some kind of lazy person who is offended by everyone.”
Unquestioning faith in a miracle, in a fairy tale, in the possibility of the impossible is the main feature not only of Ilya Ilyich, but also of any Russian person raised on folk tales and legends. Finding itself on fertile soil, this faith becomes the basis of a person’s life, replacing reality with illusion, as happened with Ilya Ilyich: “his fairy tale is mixed with life, and he is unconsciously sad sometimes, why is a fairy tale not life, and why is life not a fairy tale.”
At the end of the novel, Oblomov, it would seem, finds that “Oblomov” happiness that he has long dreamed of - a calm, monotonous life without stress, a caring, kind wife, an organized life and a son. However, Ilya Ilyich does not return to the real world, he remains in his illusions, which become more important and significant for him than real happiness next to the woman who adores him. In fairy tales, the hero must pass three tests, after which he will be expected to fulfill all his desires, otherwise the hero will die. Ilya Ilyich does not pass a single test, giving in first to failure in the service, and then to the need to change for the sake of Olga. Describing Oblomov’s life, the author seems to be ironizing about the hero’s excessive faith in an unrealizable miracle for which there is no need to fight.
Conclusion
At the same time, the simplicity and complexity of Oblomov’s character, the ambiguity of the character himself, the analysis of his positive and negative sides, allow us to see in Ilya Ilyich the eternal image of an unrealized personality “out of his time” - an “extra person” who failed to find his own place in real life, and therefore left into the world of illusions. However, the reason for this, as Goncharov emphasizes, is not a fatal combination of circumstances or the difficult fate of the hero, but the incorrect upbringing of Oblomov, who is sensitive and gentle in character. Raised as a “houseplant,” Ilya Ilyich turned out to be unadapted to a reality that was harsh enough for his refined nature, replacing it with the world of his own dreams.
Work test
The novel “Oblomov,” written by Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov, was published in one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine. This is the author's best work, and even now it is popular among readers. Ivan Aleksandrovich in “Oblomov” portrayed the traditional type of Russian person, the embodiment of which in the work was Ilya Ilyich.
Let us turn to the novel and see how the author gradually, with all its completeness, reveals the image of Oblomov. Goncharov introduces his hero into different situations in order to show to the maximum extent all the disadvantages and advantages of the Oblomov type. Ilya Ilyich is tested by both friendship and love, and, nevertheless, is he doomed to disappear?
To answer this question, let's analyze his life. The first time we meet Oblomov in his apartment on Gorokhovaya Street, but over the course of the novel we learn more and more about him, and therefore we can imagine a fairly clear picture of his past life. Ilya Ilyich spent his childhood on the family estate - Oblomovka. Ilyusha was a playful boy. He, like all children, wanted movement, new impressions, but his parents protected him in every possible way from unnecessary worries, did not burden him with anything, but forbade him to show any freedom.
Sometimes the tender care of his parents bothered him. Whether he runs down the stairs or across the yard, suddenly ten desperate voices are heard after him: “Ah, ah! hold it, stop it! will fall and hurt himself! Stop, stop..."
It is not for nothing that Dobrolyubov writes: “From an early age he sees that all household work is performed by lackeys and maids, and daddy and mummy only give orders and scold for poor performance. Therefore, he will not kill himself over work, no matter what they tell him about the necessity and sanctity of work. And now he already has the first concept - that sitting with folded hands is more honorable than fussing about work...” Indeed, all decisions in the house were made without his participation, and Ilya’s fate was decided behind his back, so he had no idea about adult life, in which I arrived completely unprepared.
So, having arrived in the city, Ilya Ilyich tried to find an occupation to his liking. He tried to write, to serve as an official, but all this seemed empty to him, without meaning, because there he had to do business, which, due to his upbringing, he did not like, especially since Oblomov did not know the meaning of these activities and did not strive to understand, therefore he considered that this was not life, because it did not correspond to his ideals, which consisted of a peaceful, calm, carefree life, hearty food and serene sleep. This is precisely the way of life that Oblomov leads at the beginning of the novel. He did not pay much attention to his appearance: he was wearing a robe, which had special meaning for Ilya Ilyich. These were the clothes that he considered the best for himself: the robe is “soft, flexible; he, like an obedient slave, submits to the slightest movement of the body.” It seems to me that the robe is a key detail in Oblomov’s portrait, since it symbolizes this man’s lifestyle and, to some extent, reveals to us his character: lazy, calm, thoughtful. Ilya Ilyich is a homebody. In Oblomov there is neither the despoticism characteristic of serf owners, nor stinginess, nor any sharply negative qualities. This is a kind sloth, prone to daydreaming.
His portrait and the interior of the room tell us a lot about the character of the main character. Oblomov is a man of about thirty-two or three years old, “of average height, pleasant appearance, with dark gray eyes, but with the absence of any definite idea, any concentration in his facial features,” which indicates a lack of purpose in life. At first glance, it seemed that his room was beautifully decorated, but, looking closer, you notice a layer of dust on all things, unread books, the remains of meals, which suggests that the person living here is trying to create the appearance of decency of that time, but not a single thing was done doesn't follow through.
This was the impression of Ilya Ilyich only at the beginning of the novel, because, having met Olga, he was greatly transformed, the former Oblomov remained only in memories, and the new one began to read, write, work a lot, set goals for himself and strive for them. It was as if he had awakened from a long hibernation and began to make up for lost time. This is what love does to a person! Moreover, Olga constantly encouraged Ilya to act. Finally, a full-blooded life began to play within him.
The love of Oblomov and Ilyinskaya continues until Ilya Ilyich has to face real life, until decisive action is required from him, until Olga realizes that she loves the future Oblomov. “I recently found out that I loved in you what I wanted to have in you, what Stolz showed me, what we invented with him. I loved the future Oblomov!” Neither friendship, nor even such pure, sincere love could make him give up his peaceful, calm, carefree life. Ilya Ilyich moved to the Vyborg region, which can be called the “new Oblomovka”, because there he returned to his previous way of life. The widow of Pshenitsyn is exactly the ideal wife that Oblomov imagined during his dreams; she does not force him to do anything, does not demand anything. And Ilya Ilyich begins to degrade again from such a life. But I think you can’t blame him for everything. “What ruined you? There is no name for this evil...” Olga exclaims when parting. “There is... Oblomovism!” - he whispered barely audibly.
Oblomov himself was well aware that the life he was leading would bring nothing to future generations, but there was no such driving vital force that could bring him out of a state of apathy towards everything around him. Ilya Ilyich “painfully felt that some good, bright beginning was buried in him, as in a grave... But the treasure was deeply and heavily littered with rubbish, alluvial debris. It was as if someone had stolen and buried in his own soul the treasures brought to him as a gift of peace and life.”
Oblomov is kind and hospitable: his doors are open to all friends and acquaintances. Even Tarantiev, who is rude and arrogant to Ilya Ilyich, often dines at his house.
And his love for Olga brings out his best qualities: kindness, nobility, honesty and “dovelike tenderness.”
Is Oblomov significantly different from most people? Of course, laziness, apathy and inertia, to one degree or another, are characteristic of many. The reasons for the emergence of such qualities may be different. Some people believe that their whole life is a continuous series of failures and disappointments, and therefore they do not strive to change it for the better. Others are afraid of difficulties, so they try to protect themselves from them as much as possible. However, people still have to face reality, learn its cruel sides, struggle with difficulties in order to celebrate success or suffer defeat as a result. This is precisely the meaning of human life.
If a person decides to protect himself from all possible and impossible difficulties, then his life gradually turns into something completely monstrous. This is exactly what happened to Oblomov. Reluctance to live according to the existing laws of life leads to gradual but very rapid degradation. At first, a person thinks that everything can still be changed, that very little time will pass and he will “resurrect”, throw off laziness and despondency like an old dress, and take up the things that have been waiting for him for a long time. But time passes, strength is depleted. And the person still remains in the same place.
