"Extra people" in the literature. The topic of “excess man” in Russian literature

“Extra People” in literature are images typical of Russian prose of the mid-nineteenth century. Examples of such characters in fiction are the topic of the article.

Who coined the term?

“Extra People” in literature are characters who appeared as early as the beginning of the nineteenth century. Who introduced this term is unknown. Perhaps Herzen. According to some reports, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. After all, the great Russian poet once said that his Onegin is "an extra man." One way or another, this image was firmly established in the works of other writers.

Every student who has not even read Goncharov’s novel knows about such a literary hero as Oblomov. This character is a representative of the outdated landowner world, and therefore can not adapt to the new.

Common symptoms

“Extra People” are found in the works of such classics as I. S. Turgenev, M. Yu. Lermontov. Before considering each of the characters that can be attributed to this category, common features should be highlighted. “Extra people” in the literature are conflicting heroes in conflict with the society to which they belong. As a rule, they are deprived of both fame and wealth.

Examples

“Extra people” in literature are characters introduced by the author into an environment alien to them. They are reasonably educated, but their knowledge is unsystematic. An “extra person” cannot be a deep thinker or scientist, but he possesses an “ability to judge,” a gift of eloquence. And the main feature of this literary character is a neglect of others. As an example, we can recall Pushkin's Onegin, avoiding communication with neighbors.

“Extra People” in Russian literature of the 19th century were heroes who were able to see the vices of modern society, but did not know how to resist them. They are aware of the problems of the world. But, alas, they are too passive to change anything.

Causes of occurrence

The characters referred to in this article began to appear on the pages of the works of Russian writers in the Nikolaev era. In 1825, there was an uprising of the Decembrists. For the next decades, the government was in awe, but it was at this time that a spirit of freedom and a desire for change appeared in society. The policy of Nicholas I was quite controversial.

The king introduced reforms designed to make life easier for peasants, but he did everything to strengthen the autocracy. Various circles began to appear, the participants of which discussed and criticized the current government. For many educated people, the landlord lifestyle was contemptuous. But the trouble is that the participants in various political associations belonged to the society to which they suddenly flamed up with hatred.

The reasons for the appearance of “extra people” in Russian literature lie in the emergence in society of a new type of person who was not accepted by society and did not accept it. Such a person stands out from the crowd, and therefore causes bewilderment and irritation.

As already mentioned, the concept of "superfluous person" was first introduced by Pushkin into literature. However, this term is somewhat blurred. Characters in conflict with the social environment have been encountered in literature before. The main character of the comedy Griboedov has features inherent in this type of character. Can we say that Chatsky is an example of an “extra man”? In order to answer this question, a brief analysis of comedy should be done.

Chatsky

Hero Griboedova rejects the inherent foundations of the Famus society. He denounces the veneration and blind imitation of French fashion. This does not go unnoticed by representatives of the Famus society - whipped, hryuminy, zagoretsky. As a result, Chatsky is considered strange, if not crazy.

The Griboedovsky hero is a representative of a progressive society, which includes people who do not want to put up with reactionary orders and remnants of the past. Thus, it can be said that the topic of “an extra person” was first raised by the author of “Woe from Wit”.

Eugene Onegin

But most literary scholars believe that this particular hero is the first "extra man" in the prose and poetry of Russian authors. Onegin is a nobleman, "the heir to all his relatives." He received a very decent education, but does not have any deep knowledge. To write and speak French, to behave freely in society, to recite several quotes from the works of ancient authors - this is enough to create a favorable impression in the light.

Onegin is a typical representative of an aristocratic society. He is not able to “work hard”, but he can shine in society. He leads an aimless, idle existence, but this is not his fault. Eugene became what his father was, giving three balls every year. He lives the way most representatives of the Russian nobility exist. However, unlike them, at a certain moment begins to experience fatigue, disappointment.

Loneliness

Onegin is an "extra man." He languishes from idleness, trying to occupy himself with useful business. In the society to which he belongs, idleness is the main component of life. Hardly anyone from Onegin’s circle knew his experiences.

Eugene at first tries to compose. But the writer does not come out of it. Then begins to read enthusiastically. However, Onegin does not find moral satisfaction in books either. Then he retires to the house of the deceased uncle, who bequeathed his village to him. Here, a young nobleman, it would seem, finds an occupation for himself. It facilitates the life of the peasants: replaces a jerk with an easy quitrent. However, these good undertakings do not lead to anything.

The type of “extra person” in Russian literature appeared in the first third of the nineteenth century. But by the middle of the century, this character gained new features. Pushkin's Onegin is rather passive. He disdaines those around him, is in a blues and cannot get rid of conventions and prejudices, which he himself criticizes. Consider other examples of the "extra person" in the literature.

Pechorin

Lermontov’s work “A Hero of Our Time” is devoted to the problems of a man rejected, not spiritually accepted by society. Pechorin, like Pushkin’s character, belongs to the upper world. But he is tired of the morals of an aristocratic society. Pechorin does not enjoy visiting balls, dinners, and festive evenings. He is oppressed by the tedious and meaningless conversations that are customary to conduct at such events.

On the examples of Onegin and Pechorin, one can supplement the concept of “extra man” in Russian literature. This is a character who, due to some alienation from society, acquires features such as isolation, selfishness, cynicism, and even cruelty.

"Notes of an extra person"

And yet, most likely, the author of the concept of “extra people” is I. S. Turgenev. Many literary scholars believe that it was he who introduced this term. According to them, Onegin and Pechorin were later ranked as “superfluous people”, although they have little in common with the image created by Turgenev. The writer has a story called Notes of an Extra Person. The hero of this work feels alien to society. This character calls himself such.

Is the hero of the novel Fathers and Sons a “superfluous person” is a moot point.

Bazarov

Fathers and Sons shows a mid-nineteenth-century society. Stormy political debate by this time reached its climax. In these disputes, liberal democrats stood on one side, and revolutionary democrats on the other. And they both understood that change was needed. The revolutionary democrats, unlike their opponents, were inclined to take rather radical measures.

Political debate has penetrated all spheres of life. And, of course, became the topic of fiction and journalistic works. But at that time there was another phenomenon that interested the writer Turgenev. Namely - nihilism. Adherents of this movement rejected everything that was spiritual.

Bazarov, like Onegin, is a deeply lonely person. This feature is also characteristic of all characters whom literary scholars classify as "superfluous people." But, unlike the Pushkin hero, Bazarov does not spend time in idleness: he is engaged in the natural sciences.

The hero of the novel "Fathers and Sons" has successors. He is not considered a madman. On the contrary, some heroes try to adopt Bazar's oddities and skepticism. Nevertheless, Bazarov is lonely, despite the fact that his parents love, adore him. He dies, and only at the end of his life does he realize that his ideas were false. There are simple joys in life. There is love and romantic feelings. And all this has a right to exist.

Rudin

In the works of Turgenev , “extra people” are often found. The novel "Rudin" takes place in the forties. Daria Lasunskaya, one of the heroines of the novel, lives in Moscow, but leaves the city in the summer, where she organizes musical evenings. Her guests are exclusively educated people.

Once in the house of Lasunsky, someone Rudin appears. This person is prone to polemic, extremely ardent, and wins the audience with his wit. The guests and the mistress of the house are fascinated by Rudin’s amazing eloquence. Lasunskaya invites him to live in her house.

In order to give a clear description of Rudin, Turgenev talks about the facts from his life. This man was born into a poor family, but never had the desire to earn money, to get out of need. At first he lived on the pennies that his mother sent him. Then existed at the expense of rich friends. Rudin, in his youth, was distinguished by extraordinary oratory. He was a fairly educated man, because he spent all his leisure time reading books. But the trouble is that his speeches did not follow. By the time he met Lasunskaya, he had already become a man who was pretty battered by life's hardships. Moreover, he became painfully proud and even conceited.

Rudin is an “extra man”. Many years of immersion in the philosophical sphere led to the fact that ordinary emotional experiences seemed to have died out. This Turgenev hero is a born speaker, and the only thing he strove for was to conquer people. But he was too weak, spineless to become a political leader.

Oblomov

So, the "extra man" in Russian prose is a disappointed nobleman. The hero of the novel by Goncharov is sometimes attributed to this type of literary heroes. But can Oblomov be called an “extra man”? After all, he misses, yearns for his father’s house and all that was landlord life. And he is by no means disappointed in the way of life and traditions characteristic of representatives of his society.

Who is Oblomov? This is a descendant of a landowner family who is bored of working in an office, and therefore he does not get up from his sofa for days. This is a generally accepted opinion, but it is not entirely true. Oblomov could not get used to the life of St. Petersburg, because the people around him were entirely calculating, heartless personalities. The protagonist of the novel, unlike them, is smart, educated and, most importantly, has high spiritual qualities. But why then does he not want to work?

The fact is that Oblomov, like Onegin and Rudin, does not see the point in such work, such a life. These people cannot work only for the sake of material well-being. Each of them requires a high spiritual goal. But she is not there or she was found to be bankrupt. And Onegin, and Rudin, and Oblomov become "superfluous."

Goncharov contrasted the main character of his novel with Stolz, a childhood friend. This character first creates a positive impression on the reader. Stolz is a hard-working, purposeful person. The writer endowed this hero with German origin not by chance. Goncharov as if hinting that only a Russian person can suffer from "Oblomovism". And in the last chapters it becomes clear that there is nothing behind Stolz’s hard work. This person has no dreams, no lofty ideas. He gains sufficient means of subsistence and stops, not continuing his development.

The influence of the "extra man" on others

It is also worth a few words to say about the heroes who surround the "extra man." The literary characters mentioned in this article are lonely, unhappy. Some of them end their lives too soon. In addition, the "extra people" bring grief to others. Especially women who had the imprudence to love them.

Pierre Bezukhov is sometimes ranked among “extra people”. In the first part of the novel, he is in continuous melancholy, searching for something. He spends a lot of time at dinner parties, buys paintings, reads a lot. Unlike the aforementioned heroes, Bezukhov finds himself, he does not die either physically or mentally.