Attitude to Bazarov’s love in Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons”

Anyone who is happy to attend literature classes while studying at school will certainly remember the work of I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons” and his main character, Evgeny Bazarov. Surely most readers will answer the question of who he is, that this character is a nihilist. However, in order to remember what was the attitude towards Bazarov’s love, most of us will need some time to extract from memory what was read. Someone got acquainted with this work five years ago, and someone twenty-five. Well, let's try to remember together what Bazarov says about love.

Love and nihilism

As a true nihilist, Bazarov denies love, because it does not bring practical benefits. The marriage of Arkady unbalances him. He ceases to see his follower in him, calls him "liberal baric".

Eugene evaluates this feeling only from the point of view of physiology, not considering that any woman can be treated in a special way.

The attitude to Bazarov’s love is exclusively consumer. He says that from the opposite sex it is necessary to “get the point”, and if it doesn’t work, then the light did not converge on one person .

Anna Sergeevna Odintsova

All of Eugene’s ideas about love change after he meets Anna Odintsova. The feeling for this woman bursts into his heart and takes precedence over the mind. It contradicts all his life principles. Attitude to Bazarov’s love goes against his ideas of how it should be.

Anna Sergeyevna attracts the attention of Eugene at the ball, he admires the beauty and article of this beautiful woman, but asks about her with mock negligence.

Relations Bazarov and Odintsova

Anna Sergeyevna was also slightly interested in Eugene. She invites him to stay at Nikolskoye, her estate. Bazarov accepts this invitation, this woman is interested in him. In Nikolsky they spend a lot of time walking around the neighborhood. They talk a lot with each other, argue. Evgeni Bazarov in the eyes of Odintsova is a very interesting interlocutor; she sees him as an intelligent person.

And what about our hero? I must say that after a trip to Nikolskoye, love in Bazarov’s life ceases to be only that which does not rise above the level of physiology. He truly fell in love with Odintsov.

The tragedy of the nihilist

So, in Bazarov’s soul there was a change that refutes all his theories. His feeling for Anna Sergeyevna is deep, strong. Initially, he tries to shrug it off. However, Odintsova calls him for a frank conversation while walking in the garden and receives a declaration of love.

Bazarov does not believe that Anna Sergeyevna’s feelings for him are mutual. Nevertheless, the love in Bazarov’s life instills in his heart hope for her disposition towards him. All his thoughts, all aspirations are now connected with a single woman. Bazarov wants to be only with her. Anna Sergeyevna prefers not to give him hope for reciprocity, choosing peace of mind.

The rejected Bazarov is worried. He goes home, trying to forget himself at work. It becomes clear that the old attitude towards Bazarov’s love is forever in the past.

Last meeting

The main character was destined to meet his beloved again. Being terminally ill, Eugene sends a messenger for Anna Sergeyevna. Odintsova comes to him with a doctor, but she does not rush into his arms. She was just scared for Bazarov. Eugene is dying in her arms. By the end of his life, he remains completely lonely. Bazarov is rejected by everyone, only elderly parents continue to love their son selflessly.

So, we see how much the attitude towards Bazarov’s love has changed when he met his female ideal in the person of Anna Sergeyevna. The tragedy of this hero turned out to be very similar to the love disappointments that everyone probably experienced. We meet a man whom we consider ideal, but he is out of reach for some reason. We suffer from a lack of attention, not noticing that loved ones are ready to give a lot for us. Toward the end of his life, Bazarov finally begins to understand the power of parental love: “People like them cannot be found in our day in the daytime with fire.” However, such an important understanding comes to him too late.