The dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich. What is Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich arguing about?

In the novel by Alexander Sergeevich Turgenev, you can find examples of a variety of relationships between heroes: romantic, platonic, family, friendly and hostile. Eugene Bazarov is a very ambiguous personality, evoking the love of some and the hatred of others. His relationship with Pavel Petrovich, Arkady's uncle (Arkady - friend of Eugene, who invited him to stay at the Kirsanov family estate for the holidays) is especially interesting, since these seemingly complete opposites are not so uniquely antagonistic.

The dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich reveals new facets of each person's identity. Details about the features of the characters of the two heroes and their relationship read in this article.

Pavel Petrovich: a proud military man

In Pavel Petrovich at first glance, a proud man can be guessed. Even his costume reflects this. When the hero first appears in front of the reader, the narrator notes that he had long neat nails, that although he is not young, still remains an attractive man, and that Pavel Petrovich keeps with unchanged aristocratic elegance. And how interesting disputes between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich! "Table" of their relationship includes opposition, even in appearance.

What is Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich arguing about?

While the narrator notices these conspicuous details, Bazarov immediately guessed in Pavel Petrovich a man who thought too much of himself. In the eyes of Yevgeny Vasilyevich, his pride is unreasonable and absurd. The dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich, their confrontation, thus, begins with the very dating of the characters.

When we learn a little more about the past of this retired military, we begin to better understand why he behaves this way. This military was the favorite son of General Kirsanov and, in contrast to his brother Nicholas, was always a man of action. By the age of twenty-seven, Petr Petrovich was already a captain in the Russian army. He knew how to keep himself in high society, and was popular with women. Thus, since his youth Pavel Petrovich has become accustomed to respect and admiration.

Rude young Bazarov from the very beginning was destined to become an antagonist of this man. They were united by extreme vanity, and without even taking into account the fact that the opinions of the two heroes differed in everything, everyone saw a threat in the image of the other. From the point of view of Bazarov, Pavel Petrovich is a proud old man, in whom he himself can one day turn. In the eyes of an aristocrat, the young man was a haughty upstart, who had not yet earned the right to be so self-confident. Even before Pavel Petrovich found out something about Bazarov, he began to dislike him because of his untidy appearance and too long hair.

After Arkady discovered that Bazarov was a nihilist, and reported this to his uncle, Pavel Petrovich had a clue that could be used to justify his dislike of the guest. The nephew tries to argue, saying that a nihilist is one who critically assesses all things, but Pavel Petrovich rejects this philosophy as a new quirk of young people who do not recognize any authority.

He compares this type of thought with the unfortunate examples from history, in particular, with the ideas of Hegelian logic supporters, and with the connoisseur's manner he says to Arkady: "Let's see how you will exist in the vacuum, in vacuum." Paul appeals to his experience and wisdom and speaks as if he already knows in advance that nihilism is a deeply flawed philosophy of youth.

The dispute about principles. The views of Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov

When Pavel Petrovich involves Bazarov in a dispute, he appeals to the English system of values. The main idea of this aristocrat: "... that without self-esteem, without respect for oneself, - and in the aristocrat these feelings are developed, - there is no firm basis for the public ... bien public, public building." Thus, a retired military associates his self-esteem with aristocratic values, gradually developing this idea. This is how the dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich continues.

On the other hand, in the discussion he gradually shifts to the absurdity of the existence of those who do not have principles, and presents to the enemy a whole set of principles from a high society that he considers unquestionable. Although Pavel Petrovich, perhaps, would have denied it, it is still important for him not simply the presence or absence of values as such. The presence or absence of aristocratic values is more important. That's what Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich are arguing about.

As the plot develops, both the shortcomings and the virtues of this aristocrat clearly appear. His military pride makes him challenge in the form of a duel to Bazarov, which ends in a complete fiasco for Pavel Petrovich.

It's not just that the old aristocrat is wounded, but that he had to explain to everyone that it was his fault.

However, the military's assertion that a person can not live without values, and his sense of self-respect, still ultimately justify themselves. We learn this mainly because of the isolation and confusion to which Bazarov is trying to find his place in the world. Arkady, who was not endowed with such a strong will, but at the same time was not so devoted to traditional values, arranges his life quite happily. Almost without remembering himself, Evgeni follows the path of a retired military man and becomes entangled in his failed love. The dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich seems somewhat absurd at this moment, because the life lines of the characters and their behavior turn out to be so similar ...

The story of Pavel Petrovich

When Bazarov begins to laugh at Pavel Petrovich, Arkady decides to tell him the story of his uncle, in the hope that this story will cause sympathy in his friend. We learn that in the life of Pavel Petrovich an important role was played by unsuccessful love. He fell head over heels in a mysterious woman named Princess R. Pavel Petrovich courted her, and after having achieved, his obsession with the princess only increased.

Rejected lover

When his beloved escaped from Paul and his family, Paul resigned and followed her. He was ashamed of his behavior, but his image too much sunk Pavel Petrovich in the soul, and he could not throw it out of his head. It is not clear what exactly attracted the military princess R. Perhaps her mystery, the fact that it was impossible to fully understand or conquer.

In Baden, Pavel Petrovich managed to meet with her, but after a few months the princess fled again. After that, he returned to Russia and did everything possible to play his former role in society, although he did it without the previous enthusiasm. After Pavel Petrovich heard that the princess died in Paris in a state close to insanity, he gradually lost interest in life and stopped doing anything.

The Irony of Fate

Bazarov did not like this story. He believed that it was not manly to give up after being defeated on the love front, and suggested that Paul spends the rest of his days teaching youth, and with his own life can not do anything worthwhile.

Due to the wicked irony of fate, later Bazarov, like a former military man, becomes obsessed with Anna Sergeyevna and can not cope with this feeling and accept the fact that he was rejected.

However, this does not stop the debate between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich. Who is right?

Hidden motives

When we meet Pavel Petrovich, the narrator describes him like this: "A lonely bachelor, entered that vague, twilight time, a time of regrets similar to hopes, and hopes similar to regret when youth passed, and old age has not yet come." A vague sense of despair, possessed by the hero, can explain many of his actions. It also explains why he so desperately clung to his pride and his family, because there was nothing left to cling to.

As the plot develops, the softer side of the elderly aristocrat opens to us. Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich, the dispute between which never ceased, were certainly enemies. However, the real reason for his duel with Bazarov was that he wanted to protect his brother's honor, not his own. His last wish was for Nikolai to marry Fenechka and be happy.

Although Paul was not able to achieve his own happiness, he tries to make others happy. The hero lives the life of his brother, but still can not forget the betrayal of Princess R. and become happy. He does not choose to be unhappy, he simply can not do otherwise.

The attractiveness of Bazarov

The strength and weakness of Bazarov's position in the dispute with Pavel Petrovich are present simultaneously. It's easy to blame Eugene. He thinks he is the best. He is rude. Eugene does not recognize any of those things that fill our life with meaning (love, for example). The disputes between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich sometimes cause bewilderment. At times, Eugene is so stubborn that he is completely incapable of recognizing his own wrong. But still...

Bazarov inspires. For the first time we see him with admiring eyes of Arkady, and later we learn that his friend is only one of his disciples. As soon as these two are separated from each other, we begin to see Bazarov in a more objective light, to see him as a born leader. He is a domineering, dignified personality. When Yevgeny Vasilyevich tells Pavel Petrovich: "At the present time, negation is most useful - we deny it," the reader can not resist the force of these words and this person.

This topic is discussed in great detail in the dispute between Yevgeny Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich. Themes of their disputes can not be covered in one article. We recommend that you refer to the source for a deeper understanding. The lines of controversy between Yevgeny Bazarov and Pavel Kirsanov can thus be continued.

The final scene

Turgenev himself admired the strong, almost magnetic personality of Bazarov. He admitted that he cried when he described the scene of the death of Yevgeny Vasilyevich. Bazarov's character is fully revealed in this final scene. He is not just a haughty young upstart. This man was really talented and wanted to do something great in life.

Looking into his past, Bazarov thinks: "And I also thought: I will break many things, I will not die, where!" The problem is, because I am a giant! ". Although he does not show the fear of death, yet her approach makes Eugene feel her own nothingness, and not just talking about him. Nevertheless, in the final analysis, the fact that Bazarov does not repent makes his character so convincing. Evgeny is the embodiment of a daring youth with her illusion that we will never die. After all, why should we die?

Is there any benefit in denial?

When the novel "Fathers and Sons" was first published in 1862, the young generation subjected Turgenev to severe criticism, because the youth believed that Bazarov's character was a parody of it. Of course, Ivan Sergeevich did not have such an intention when creating the work, but at times Evgeni really resembles a parody, but not for the youth as a whole, but for himself. One can not help recalling the sharpness of a retired military man, launched into his address: "He does not believe in principles, but believes in frogs." Eugene Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov in an ideological dispute disclose both their strengths and weaknesses.

Bazarov has a complex character. Against him it is impossible to put forward a simple argument, but Eugene was deeply mistaken. Perhaps it is his shortcomings, not the strengths that make this young nihilist so interesting and convincing.