Patty
Eastep
HUM
422 B Christian Perspectives: 19th
Century—Age of Turmoil
Dr.
Raymond Ide
November
19, 2013
Idolized to
Forgotten
After
an entire winter away, the young college student, Arkady receives the
embrace of his waiting father, Nikolai Petrovitch Kirsanov after
stepping from the coach. But Nikolai feels somewhat confused that
his son doesn’t seem as excited to see him. Arkady affectionately
refers to his father as “daddy.” However, his excitement is to
introduce his father to his college friend, Bazarov who has promised
to stay with them. In Ivan Turgenev’s
novel
Fathers
& Sons
Arkady idolizes his friend Bazarov.
As Arkady and his father ride back to the house from the station, he
tells his father that Bazarov is brilliant, and that he means a great
deal to him. What begins as admiration and a desire to emulate
Bazarov, Arkady eventually realizes that he doesn’t yearn to be
like Bazarov.
In
the morning while enjoying tea with his father and his Uncle Pavel,
Arkady reveals to them that Bazarov is a nihilist. Nikolai states,
“that’s from the Latin, nihil,
nothing,
as far as I can judge; the word must mean a man who…who accepts
nothing?” but Arkady says, “A nihilist is a man who does not bow
down before any authority, who does not take any principle on faith,
whatever reverence that principle may be enshrined in” (Turgenev
17). After Bazarov joins them, he argues with Pavel. Arkady sides
with Bazarov while in the presence of his father and uncle, but
privately he remarks, “You weren’t nice to him, you have hurt his
feelings” (21). Arkady, who loves his uncle, tells Bazarov the
story of Pavel’s former life, telling Bazarov, “it’s a sin to
despise him” (25). In return Arkady doesn’t receive any sympathy
from Bazarov toward Pavel. But still again Arkady comes to Bazarov’s
defense when Bazarov argues with Pavel at lunch.
The
following day Bazarov sees Arkady’s father’s mistress, Fenichka,
and desires to engage in conversation with her. Bazarov moves
forward and introduces himself even after Arkady cries out in dismay;
“mind what you are about, for mercy’s sake” (32). Being under
the influence of Bazarov’s ideas Arkady is willing to leave his
father’s home due to Bazarov’s boredom with both Arkady’s
father and uncle. They leave to visit a wealthy relative of
Arkady’s, Matvei Iiyich Kolyazin. Now under the wing of Koyazin,
both Arkady and Bazarov are invited to a society ball. While there,
Arkady is intrigued by the beautiful Madame Anna Odintsov. He
innocently boasts to Madame Odintsov about Bazarov’s fine
attributes. Later, during a visit to Madame Odintsov’s home,
Arkady becomes jealous of the blooming relationship between Bazarov
and Madame Odintsov. Arkady feels they are treating him like a
child as they confine him to spending all his time with Anna’s
younger sister, Katya. Arkady begins to develop bitter feelings
toward Bazarov. In the evening while together in their room, Bazarov
after hearing that Arkady will miss Katya when they leave, responds,
“You’re still a fool, my boy, I see” and he goes on to
reference a man named Sitnikov, “Sitnikovs are indispensable to us,
I-do you understand? I need dolts like him, It’s not for the gods
to bake bricks, in fact!” “Arkady thought to himself, and then in
a flash all the fathomless depths of Bazarov’s conceit dawned upon
him.” Arkady asks, “Are you and I gods then? At least, you’re
a god; am not I a dolt then?” To which Bazarov states; “you’re
still a fool” (88).
On
the ride after leaving Madame Odintsov, Arkady openly observes about
Bazarov, “You look changed lately certainly” (89). Bazarov
confides that both he and Arkady have behaved like fools, and that
they were too taken in by the women. As the conversation continues,
Bazarov states, “I’m saying straight out that we’ve both
behaved like fools. What’s the use talking about it!” (90). Not
understanding what Bazarov is referring to, Bazarov continues, “And
since you don’t quite understand me, I’ll tell you this-to my
mind, it’s better to break stones on the highroad than to let a
woman have the mastery of even the end of one’s little finger.
That’s all…” Bazarov ponders and then continues, “A man
hasn’t time to attend to such trifles; a man ought not to be tame”
(90). Bazarov finishes with, “You hear, Arkady Nikolaevitch! But
we have taken a beating…that’s what comes of being educated
people” (90). The only response from Arkady was a forced laugh.
Arriving at
Bazarov’s parents’ house Arkady perceives that Bazarov’s
parents also worship him but notes that Bazarov is withdrawn. Arkady
has a long talk with Bazarov’s father, Vassily Ivanych and divulges
his admiration of his son. “Your son is one of the most remarkable
men I have ever met” Arkady tells Bazarov’s father (100).
Together Vassily and Arkady agree that their beloved Bazarov will
someday be a great man. Bazarov’s mood becomes dark and cynical
during the visit and Arkady disagrees with him telling him, “Hush,
Yevgeny…if one listened to you to-day one would be driven to
agreeing with those who reproach us for want of principles”
(105).
At one point Arkady tries to tell Bazarov to be kinder to his
parents.
Again
on the move, the two friends head back to Arkady’s home. Once at
home, Arkady desires to have some space between him and Bazarov so
returns to Madame Odintsov’s estate. “He actually was dull and
longed to get away” (116). Arkady realizes that it is not Anna but
the younger sister Katya that is consuming his thoughts. He begins
to spend a great deal of his time with Katya. During their time
together, Katya ponders that Arkady is coming out from under the
influences of Bazarov. He thoughtfully notes, “Do you discover,
may I ask, that I’ve shaken off his influence now?” (137). She
says of Bazarov to Arkady, “He’s a wild animal and you and I are
tame” (138). Arkady ignoring Bazarov’s earlier statement that
he is a fool to fall under the influence of a women says to Katya,
“you’re equally clever; and you’ve as much, if not more,
character than she [Anna]” (140). Arkady continues, “It’s of
no consequence to you, probably; but, let me tell you, I put you not
only above your sister, but above everyone in the world” (140).
Bazarov soon arrives again at Madame Odintsov’s and while he visits
with her, Arkady was, “sitting lost in meditation. They were deep
and serious meditations, but not mournful. He knew Anna Sergyevna
was sitting alone with Bazarov, and he felt no jealousy, as once he
had; on the contrary, his face slowly brightened.” (145).
Back
in the garden with Katya, Arkady rambles on saying, “I am not now
the conceited boy I was when I came here…I want to be useful, I
want to devote all my powers to the truth; but I no longer look for
my ideals where I did:…Up till now I did not understand myself: My
eyes have been opened...” (146). Declaring his love for Katya,
Arkady proposes, “I love you forever and irrevocably, and I love no
one but you…” (148).
After
learning of Arkady and Katya’s engagement, Bazarov says to Arkady,
“So you are thinking of making yourself a nest?” (150). Even
after Bazarov belittles Arkady’s choice to marry, “Arkady flung
himself on the neck of his former leader and friend, and the tears
fairly gushed from his eyes” then Bazarov announces this is Good-by
forever (151). With Bazarov now gone, “Arkady completely forgot
about his former teacher. He already began to follow her [Katya]
lead” (151). As a happy man, Arkady, “seemed to have grown
stronger and better looking”(165). When Katya whispers “To the
memory of Bazarov” in response to a family toast, “Arkady pressed
her hand warmly in response, but he did not venture to propose this
toast aloud” (166).
At
the beginning of Turgenev’s story, Arkady idolizes Bazarov and has
a desire to emulate him. He believed the way of the nihilist but
then began to be troubled by what he observed of Bazarov’s
interpersonal interactions. By story’s end, Arkady rejects
Bazarov’s idea that, “to throw up society like that is for all
the world like a dip in cold water on a hot day. A man hasn’t time
to attend to such trifles; a man ought not to be tame…” (90).
Arkady is content to live the transitional life, now happily married
and “… zealous in the management of the estate” (166).
Works Cited
Turgenev,
Ivan. Fathers
and Sons Translated
C. G. New York: Dover 1993.
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