Father and Son

Author: (Russia) Turgenev/Zhang Tiěfu/Wang Yingjiā
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-20
Features: Turgenev, a Russian writer, created his masterpiece Fathers and Sons in 1862. The work is set against the backdrop of the abolition of serfdom and reflects the conflict between revolutionary democrats and aristocratic liberals. The protagonist, Bazarov, is a medical student of commoner origin who is invited to stay at the estate of his noble classmate Arkady. Arkady's uncle Pavel dislikes Bazarov for his lack of aristocratic manners, and their conversations never go smoothly, leading to sharp exchanges. Later, Bazarov falls in love with the beautiful and wealthy widow Oksana at a ball, but is rejected by Oksana, who is obsessed with aristocratic life. After his heartbreak, he dedicates himself to biological research. However, he dies from an infected finger wound during an autopsy. The work uses Bazarov as a representative to portray a group of new figures emerging in Russia in the early 1860s.