Russian literature is rich in beautiful examples of socio-psychological works that make the reader not only think about the meaning of life, but also encourage action, struggle, and heroism.
One of these works of art is Turgenev's Notes of the Hunter, a brief analysis of which we will consider in this article.
But first, let's get acquainted with the author of an immortal work and find out what circumstances prompted him to write this collection of stories.
Writer childhood
An analysis of the “Notes of a Hunter” cycle cannot be started without meeting its author. And indeed, only by understanding the writer's worldview and thinking can one appreciate his work.
Ivan Sergeevich was born in the autumn of 1818 in a family of wealthy noblemen. The marriage of his parents was not happy. The father soon left the family and died, and the mother raised the children. The childhood of the future writer can not be called cloudless.
His mother, by virtue of upbringing and life circumstances, was a complex woman, but at the same time well-read and enlightened. She often beat her sons, imperiously behaved with serfs, but at the same time she read a lot, traveled, and appreciated modern Russian literature.
It was Varvara Petrovna who awakened in little Ivan a love of the Russian word and Russian literature. It was she who introduced him to priceless examples of Russian thinkers - the works of Zhukovsky, Karamzin, Pushkin, Gogol, Lermontov ...
The issue of serfdom
He had a considerable influence on the young Ivan and his serf valet. In general, the question of the peasantry was very deeply interested in Turgenev. He saw a lot and, more importantly, thought about a lot.
The life of serfs was always before the eyes of a child. He spent almost all his childhood in the village, where he could see how ordinary people are enslaved, how they mock him, how hard it is for those who are the support and foundation of the state - ordinary workers, villagers, farmers.
Having become independent, Turgenev traveled a lot around his homeland. He watched the peasants, their way of life and work. It was the reflection on the complex life of serfs that prompted Ivan Sergeyevich to create his famous work, “Notes of a Hunter,” an analysis of which we will now consider.
Why such a name?
The fact is that Turgenev was very fond of hunting, which was his real passion. He could, for weeks, if not months, not let his guns out of his hands, overcoming hundreds of kilometers in search of game. Among his acquaintances, Ivan Sergeyevich was considered the most famous and successful hunter.
Throughout his life, he has walked countless times on foot in Tula, Oryol, Tambov, Kaluga and Kursk provinces. Thanks to his travels, the writer became acquainted with ordinary people who accompanied him in hunting games, served as guides or advisers.
The nobleman Turgenev did not hesitate to communicate closely with the poor serfs. He liked to listen to them, ask them questions, observe their behavior. Ivan Sergeyevich saw in them his brothers, his fellow citizens, and really wanted other rich and influential people to relate to bonded peasants in the same way.
That is why he published a series of short stories, “Notes of a Hunter,” which we will now analyze. In his work Turgenev captured what he saw and heard. For example, he chose his frequent hunting companion, the peasant Athanasius, the prototype of the protagonist of the “Notes”, whose stories he loved to listen to.
Briefly about the work itself
Before proceeding with the analysis of “Notes of the Hunter” by Turgenev, you should get acquainted with the work itself. As an independent work of art, it was released in 1852. “Notes” consist of 25 stories or essays, each of which is a new story, new acting characters. However, reflecting on the analysis of Turgenev’s short stories “Notes of the Hunter”, one can see that all these small essays are united by one theme - the theme of love for Russian nature and the Russian people.
A bit about the author's syllable
The unrivaled original style of the author is striking. He describes the events simply and concisely, rarely giving an assessment of what is happening, without unnecessary dramatic and lyrical digressions. But the tragedy of serfs runs like a red thread through all the lines of a work sustained in the spirit of true realism.
In every sentence, in every dialogue, the pain and sighs of the common people, burdened by an overwhelming burden, shines through. Without embellishment and exaggeration, the writer manages to portray before the reader the images of those who are forever imprinted in his memory as true heroes and representatives of the Russian soul. They, ordinary people, also have their own moral principles, also have their own nobility, which is sometimes even higher and better than that of noble nobles.
Below we will analyze in detail several essays by the great writer. To realize the full depth and importance of the work, it is not enough to consider the analysis of one story from the “Notes of the hunter”. So, in front of you will find a detailed intriguing excursion through the pages of the Turgenev cycle.
“Pole and Kalynich”
Analysis of the “Notes of the hunter” we will begin with this work. In it, the writer creates two different images that accurately reflect the basic mindsets of ordinary people.
And it all started with the fact that the narrator met with the small landowner, Mr. Polutykin, and came to hunt with him. In the owner’s estate, the main character met two serfs.
It is noteworthy that in his essay, like in many others, Turgenev makes little mention of the nobles. All his attention is focused on the behavior and psychology of the peasants.
So in this story the reader is much more interesting to observe the life of serfs than the being of their master.
The ferret appears in the work as a prosperous and practical peasant. He lives separately, has a large well-kept house and family, pays rent, but does not want to buy his freedom. This is the whole primitiveness of the peasant. He is a master of all trades, but he does not see the most valuable in his life. He is limited, not educated, narrow-minded, and at the same time looks down on the gentleman and quietly chuckles at him.
Kalinych, on the other hand, is Khorya’s bosom friend and at the same time his complete opposite. This man is romantic and thoughtful, impractical and soft-bodied. He has no family and is in great need. But at the same time, Kalinych has tremendous knowledge of nature, for which he is highly regarded in the district. He subtly feels the beautiful, able to think and analyze.
On the basis of reflection on the characters of Khorya and Kalinych, one can see what the peasantry of the time of Turgenev represented.
“Singers”
In this essay we continue the analysis of Turgenev’s short stories “Notes of a Hunter”. In the center of the plot is a competition between two village singers, started in one peasant squash. The main characters are described fluently and briefly. Jacob is a 23-year-old son of a captured Turkish woman. Works in a factory, but is known for his creative abilities.
His rival ranchik - a thirty-year-old man, a brisk and dodgy tradesman - came out first. He sang a funny song, sang well, impressively. But something was missing from him, although his skill was appreciated.
When Yakov began to sing, reverently and intermittently, everyone froze. His voice - deep, exciting, sensual, made those present cry. It was amazing how adults, dexterous, sneaky, and grasping, under the influence of a worker's song, really cried.
It was evident that Jacob sang with the feeling that he was deeply concerned with the meaning of rhyming lines.
Of course, those present unanimously concluded that Jacob won. But the essay did not end there.
In the evening, after the contest, the traveler again saw the “golden voice” of the village. What did Jacob do? He drank, drank self-righteously, unconsciously, losing his entire human appearance. And with him, those who participated several hours ago enjoyed his marvelous penetrating voice.
It was hard for a traveler to look at such an ugly party when all that is good is ruined in people - talent, feelings, soul. Analysis of “Singers” (from “Notes of the Hunter”) shows how poverty and vice can affect even the most subtle and sensitive souls.
"Date"
The action of the essay covers only one dialogue that occurred between the arrogant and heartless lordly valet and the peasant Akulina innocently thrown by him. A hunter-traveler, who dozed off in the shade of thick trees, becomes an accidental witness of the separation of these young people.
Why did the author put this seemingly such lyrical and banal story of unrequited love in his “Notes of a hunter”? Analysis of the “Date” shows that in this work deep life questions are raised. And the point is not only that the valet of a wealthy nobleman played on the feelings of an inexperienced girl, took advantage of her innocence and love, and now he abandons her indifferently. No. The theme of the essay is much deeper.
For example, Turgenev shows how much a person can be forgotten, seduced by secular tinsel, and tear himself away from his roots, from his brothers, considering himself higher and more significant than those with whom he is equal.
Using the example of a lord's valet, one can also see how quickly people take on the negative qualities of their masters and how easy it is to forget who you really are.
Analysis of “Raspberry Water” from “Hunter's Notes”
Thinking about the work makes you think about how serfs relate to their yoke. Not everyone, it turns out, longs for freedom, not to fight for their independence.
In the center of the story is the story of one old serf, butler of the ruined master, who with nostalgia recalls the old days, when powerless serfs were for nothing given to soldiers or whipped without measure.
However, injustice reigned not only before. Further, Turgenev describes the lordly cruelty and heartlessness, which are persistently exposed by him throughout the cycle.
Vlas is an old peasant who recently buried his son, who died after a long illness. The old man went to the master, asked him to reduce the rent, but he only got angry and drove the unfortunate. As we see, the life of the poor serfs and their circumstances never interested their rich owners. They think only of themselves and of the profit that they receive from bonded people. And what is the price of this rent? Behind him are the life and health of the unfortunate, doomed to eternal enslavement.
"Office"
It is noteworthy that this work exposed not only the enslavement of serfs by the landlords, but also the bullying of wealthy peasants over their brothers. For example, the central character of the work, the main landlord's clerk by the name of Nikolai Yeremeich, without hesitation takes a bribe from his villagers for some concessions and condescension.
He uses his power with greed and shamelessness. Abusing the situation, Yeremeich tries to punish people unfit for him or those with whom he has ever quarreled. The lady’s behavior, which could restore justice in her estate, but does not want to reflect on the life of her peasants and delve into their personal affairs, is also interesting.
For example, the landowner unfairly and heartlessly acts with the innocent girl Tatyana, because of whom the Nikolai Yeremeich and the local paramedic quarreled. Instead of sensibly judging and finding the guilty, the lady sends Tatyana, destroying her life and the life of Paul in love with her.
As we see, not only did the peasants suffer and suffer from the oppression of the wealthy masters, they were also unscrupulously oppressed by their own brothers, who received any position at the court of the court. Such a suppression of human will broke destinies and negatively affected people's mindset.
"Death"
This will be the final work, on the basis of which we will analyze the “Notes of the hunter”. In the center of the plot are short stories, memoirs of the author about how Russian people die, mostly peasants. They die easily and simply, as if they are performing an unremarkable rite. They have neither fear of death, nor the desire to live and fight, but some genuine indifference to their fate, to their life, to their health.
This can be seen in the example of a man who was burned in a barn and slowly dying at home. His family, and he himself, led a daily life, not at all worrying about the dying man and not even trying to prevent death, not to mention to alleviate suffering.
Vasily Dmitrievich is another Russian peasant, a miller by profession, indifferent to his life. He overworked on hard work, got a hernia, but did not want to be in the hospital and do anything for his recovery or relief. A man goes home to solve financial matters with his property, and dies in four days.
There were other cases. For example, an old friend of the protagonist at the university. Sick with consumption, living with strangers out of mercy, he does not think about his bitter fate, does not fear death, but lives on memories reminded of him by his comrade, and listens with enthusiasm to his stories. Ten days later he dies in torment.
Why did Turgenev describe these incidents in his “Notes of a Hunter”? The analysis of “Death” shows that the writer himself is perplexed where such indifference comes from. Most likely, this is a consequence of centuries of serfdom, absorbed by unhappy people with mother’s milk, which became their second (if not the first and only) being. Their constant hard work, their difficult living conditions dull all other feelings and feelings in them.
Criticism and censorship
How did contemporaries of Turgenev react to his storybook? Many literary critics of that time noted that almost all the works included in the cycle have a subtle psychologism and realism, revealing to the readers the true soul of a Russian peasant.
On the other hand, some critics believed that Turgenev’s stories were written in an idealistic style, that they were far-fetched and banal, and therefore did not represent any value.
How did censorship react? Prince Lvov, who allowed the collection of essays to print, was personally punished by the emperor for such a decision. Further publishing of “Notes of the hunter” was banned.
Why did the authorities react so much to the work? Turgenev was charged with the fact that he poetized the serfs, making them the main characters of his stories, revealing their soul and thoughts. The writer also earned the king’s disapproval for exposing the oppression of the common people and proving that serfs could live better on freedom.
As we see, the writer had great courage and love for the common people, as he was not afraid to cause the emperor's disgrace. This is evidenced by the analysis of "Notes of the Hunter" by Turgenev, given in this article.