Fathers and children summary by chapter. A brief retelling of “Fathers and Sons” chapter by chapter: description of events, characteristics of heroes

Dedicated to memory

Vissarion Grigorievich Belinsky

I

- What, Peter, haven’t you seen it yet? - asked on May 20, 1859, going out without a hat onto the low porch of an inn on the *** highway, a gentleman of about forty years old, in a dusty coat and checkered trousers, asked his servant, a young and cheeky fellow with whitish down on his chin and small dull eyes. little eyes.

The servant, in whom everything: the turquoise earring in his ear, the pomaded multi-colored hair, and the polite movements, in a word, everything revealed a man of the newest, improved generation, looked condescendingly along the road and answered: “No way, sir, I can’t see it.”

- You can’t see it? - the master repeated.

“You can’t see it,” the servant answered a second time.

The master sighed and sat down on the bench. Let us introduce the reader to him while he sits with his legs tucked under him and thoughtfully looking around.

His name is Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov. Fifteen miles from the inn, he has a good estate of two hundred souls, or, as he puts it since he separated himself from the peasants and started a “farm,” two thousand dessiatines of land. His father, a military general in 1812, a semi-literate, rude, but not evil Russian man, pulled his weight all his life, commanded first a brigade, then a division, and constantly lived in the provinces, where, due to his rank, he played a fairly significant role. Nikolai Petrovich was born in the south of Russia, like his elder brother Pavel, who will be discussed later, and was raised until the age of fourteen at home, surrounded by cheap tutors, cheeky but obsequious adjutants and other regimental and staff personalities. His parent, from the family of Kolyazins, in the maidens Agathe, and in the generals Agathoklea Kuzminishna Kirsanova, belonged to the number of “mother commanders”, wore lush caps and noisy silk dresses, was the first to approach the cross in church, spoke loudly and a lot, admitted children in the morning to the hand, she blessed them at night - in a word, she lived for her own pleasure. As a general's son, Nikolai Petrovich - although he was not only not distinguished by courage, but even earned the nickname of a coward - had, like his brother Pavel, to enter the military service ; but he broke his leg on the very day when the news of his determination had already arrived, and, after lying in bed for two months, he remained “lame” for the rest of his life. His father waved his hand at him and let him go in civilian clothes. He took him to St. Petersburg as soon as he was eighteen years old and placed him in the university. By the way, his brother became an officer in a guards regiment at that time. The young people began to live together, in the same apartment, under the distant supervision of their maternal cousin, Ilya Kolyazin, an important official. Their father returned to his division and to his wife and only occasionally sent his sons large quarters of gray paper, dotted with a sweeping clerk's handwriting. At the end of these quarters were the words carefully surrounded by “frills”: “Piotr Kirsanof, Major General.” In 1835, Nikolai Petrovich left the university as a candidate, and in the same year General Kirsanov, dismissed for an unsuccessful inspection, came to St. Petersburg with his wife to live. He rented a house near the Tauride Garden and enrolled in the English Club, but suddenly died of a stroke. Agathoklea Kuzminishna soon followed him: she could not get used to the remote capital life; the melancholy of a retired existence gnawed at her. Meanwhile, Nikolai Petrovich managed, while his parents were still alive and much to their chagrin, to fall in love with the daughter of the official Prepolovensky, the former owner of his apartment, a pretty and, as they say, developed girl: she read serious articles in magazines in the Sciences section. He married her as soon as the period of mourning had passed, and, leaving the Ministry of Appanages, where, under the patronage of his father, he had been enrolled, he lived in bliss with his Masha, first at the dacha near the Forestry Institute, then in the city, in a small and pretty apartment, with a clean staircase and a cold living room, finally - in the village, where he finally settled and where his son Arkady was soon born. The couple lived very well and quietly: they almost never parted, read together, played four hands on the piano, sang duets; she planted flowers and looked after the poultry yard, he occasionally went hunting and did housework, and Arkady grew and grew - also well and quietly. Ten years passed like a dream. In 1947, Kirsanov’s wife died. He barely endured this blow and turned gray in a few weeks; I was about to go abroad to disperse at least a little... but then the year 1948 came. He inevitably returned to the village and, after quite a long period of inactivity, began economic reforms. In 1955 he took his son to university; lived with him for three winters in St. Petersburg, almost never going anywhere and trying to make acquaintances with Arkady’s young comrades. He could not come for the last winter - and now we see him in May 1859, already completely gray-haired, plump and slightly hunched over: he is waiting for his son, who, like himself once, received the title of candidate.

The servant, out of a sense of decency, and perhaps not wanting to remain under the master's eye, went under the gate and lit a pipe. Nikolai Petrovich hung his head and began to look at the dilapidated steps of the porch: a large motley chicken was sedately walking along them, firmly knocking its large yellow legs; the dirty cat looked at him unfriendlyly, coyly snuggling on the railing. The sun was hot; from the dim hallway of the inn there was a smell of warm rye bread. Our Nikolai Petrovich was daydreaming. “Son... candidate... Arkasha...” was constantly spinning in his head; he tried to think about something else, and the same thoughts returned again. He remembered his deceased wife... “I couldn’t wait!” - he whispered sadly... A fat gray pigeon flew onto the road and hurriedly went to drink in a puddle near the well. Nikolai Petrovich began to look at him, and his ear was already catching the sound of approaching wheels...

“No way, they’re on their way,” the servant reported, emerging from under the gate.

Nikolai Petrovich jumped up and fixed his eyes along the road. A tarantass appeared, drawn by three Yamsk horses; in the tarantass the band of a student’s cap flashed, the familiar outline of a dear face...

- Arkasha! Arkasha! - Kirsanov shouted, and ran, and waved his arms... A few moments later, his lips were already attached to the beardless, dusty and tanned cheek of the young candidate.

II

“Let me shake myself off, dad,” Arkady said in a somewhat hoarse, but sonorous youthful voice, cheerfully responding to his father’s caresses, “I’ll get you all dirty.”

“Nothing, nothing,” Nikolai Petrovich repeated, smiling tenderly, and struck his hand twice on the collar of his son’s overcoat and on his own coat. “Show yourself, show yourself,” he added, moving away, and immediately walked with hasty steps towards the inn, saying: “Here, here, and hurry up the horses.”

Nikolai Petrovich seemed much more alarmed than his son; he seemed a little lost, as if he was timid. Arkady stopped him.

“Daddy,” he said, “let me introduce you to my good friend, Bazarov, about whom I wrote to you so often.” He was so kind that he agreed to stay with us.

Nikolai Petrovich quickly turned around and, approaching a tall man in a long robe with tassels, who had just climbed out of the carriage, tightly squeezed his naked red hand, which he did not immediately offer to him.

“I’m sincerely glad,” he began, “and grateful for the good intention to visit us; I hope... may I ask your name and patronymic?

“Evgeny Vasilyev,” answered Bazarov in a lazy but courageous voice and, turning away the collar of his robe, showed Nikolai Petrovich his whole face. Long and thin, with a wide forehead, a flat nose at the top, a pointed nose at the bottom, large greenish eyes and drooping sand-colored sideburns, it was enlivened by a calm smile and expressed self-confidence and intelligence.

“I hope, my dear Evgeny Vasilich, that you will not get bored with us,” continued Nikolai Petrovich.

Bazarov’s thin lips moved slightly; but he did not answer and only raised his cap. His dark blond hair, long and thick, did not hide the large bulges of his spacious skull.

“So, Arkady,” Nikolai Petrovich spoke again, turning to his son, “should we pawn the horses now, or what?” Or do you want to relax?

- Let's rest at home, dad; ordered to lay it down.

“Now, now,” the father picked up. - Hey, Peter, do you hear? Give orders, brother, quickly.

Peter, who, as an improved servant, did not approach the barich’s handle, but only bowed to him from afar, again disappeared under the gate.

“I’m here with a carriage, but there’s also a three for your carriage,” Nikolai Petrovich said busily, while Arkady drank water from an iron ladle brought by the owner of the inn, and Bazarov lit a pipe and went up to the coachman unharnessing the horses, “only a carriage.” double, and I don’t know how your friend is...

Nikolai Petrovich's coachman led the horses out.

- Well, turn around, fat beard! - Bazarov turned to the coachman.

“Listen, Mityukha,” picked up another driver standing right there with his hands stuck in the back holes of his sheepskin coat, “what did the master call you?” Thickbeard is.

Mityukha just shook his cap and pulled the reins with a sweaty horse.

“Hurry up, hurry up, guys, help me,” Nikolai Petrovich exclaimed, “it’ll be for vodka!”

In a few minutes the horses were laid down; father and son fit in the stroller; Peter climbed onto the box; Bazarov jumped into the tarantass, buried his head in the leather pillow - and both carriages rolled off.

III

“So, finally, you are a candidate and have arrived home,” said Nikolai Petrovich, touching Arkady on the shoulder and then on the knee. - Finally!

- What about uncle? healthy? - asked Arkady, who, despite the sincere, almost childish joy that filled him, wanted to quickly turn the conversation from an excited mood to an ordinary one.

- Healthy. He wanted to go with me to meet you, but for some reason he changed his mind.

- How long have you been waiting for me? – Arkady asked.

- Yes, about five o'clock.

- Good dad!

Arkady quickly turned to his father and loudly kissed him on the cheek. Nikolai Petrovich laughed quietly.

- What a nice horse I have prepared for you! - he began, - you will see. And your room is covered with wallpaper.

- Is there a room for Bazarov?

- There will be one for him too.

- Please, daddy, caress him. I can't tell you how much I value his friendship.

-Have you met him recently?

- Recently.

“That’s why I didn’t see him last winter.” What is he doing?

– His main subject is natural sciences. Yes, he knows everything. Next year he wants to become a doctor.

- A! “He’s in the medical faculty,” Nikolai Petrovich noted and paused. “Peter,” he added and extended his hand, “are these our men coming?”

Peter glanced in the direction where the master was pointing. Several carts drawn by unbridled horses were rolling briskly along a narrow country road. In each cart sat one, many two men in open sheepskin coats.

“Exactly so,” said Peter.

-Where are they going, to the city, or what?

– We must assume that it’s to the city. “To the tavern,” he added contemptuously and leaned slightly towards the coachman, as if referring to him. But he didn’t even move: he was a man of the old school who did not share the latest views.

“I have a lot of trouble with the men this year,” Nikolai Petrovich continued, turning to his son. - They don’t pay rent. What will you do?

– Are you satisfied with your hired workers?

“Yes,” Nikolai Petrovich muttered through his teeth. “They’re knocking them out, that’s the problem; Well, there’s still no real effort. The harness is spoiled. They plowed, however, nothing. If it grinds, there will be flour. Do you really care about farming now?

“You don’t have a shadow, that’s the problem,” Arkady noted, without answering the last question.

“I attached a large awning on the north side above the balcony,” said Nikolai Petrovich, “now you can dine outdoors.”

– It will look painfully like a dacha... but by the way, it’s all nothing. What kind of air there is! It smells so nice! Really, it seems to me that nowhere in the world smells as much as in these parts! And the sky is here...

Arkady suddenly stopped, cast an indirect glance back and fell silent.

“Of course,” Nikolai Petrovich noted, “you were born here, everything here should seem something special to you...

“Well, dad, it’s the same no matter where a person was born.”

- However…

– No, it’s completely the same.

Nikolai Petrovich looked sideways at his son, and the carriage drove half a mile before the conversation resumed between them.

“I don’t remember if I wrote to you,” Nikolai Petrovich began, “your former nanny, Egorovna, has died.”

- Really? Poor old woman! Is Prokofich alive?

- Alive and hasn’t changed at all. Still grumbling. In general, you won’t find any big changes in Maryino.

– Is your clerk still the same?

- Except that I changed the clerk. I decided not to keep any more freedmen, former servants, or at least not to assign them any positions where there was responsibility. (Arkady pointed his eyes at Peter.) “Il est libre, en effet,” Nikolai Petrovich noted in a low voice, “but he’s a valet.” Now I have a clerk from the middle class: he seems to be a smart guy. I assigned him two hundred and fifty rubles a year. However,” Nikolai Petrovich added, rubbing his forehead and eyebrows with his hand, which always served as a sign of internal confusion for him, “I just told you that you won’t find changes in Maryino... This is not entirely fair. I consider it my duty to preface you, although...

He paused for a moment and continued in French.

“A strict moralist will find my frankness inappropriate, but, firstly, it cannot be hidden, and secondly, you know, I have always had special principles about the relationship between father and son. However, you, of course, will have the right to condemn me. In my age... In a word, this... this girl, about whom you have probably already heard...

- Fenechka? – Arkady asked cheekily.

Nikolai Petrovich blushed.

- Please don’t call her loudly... Well, yes... she lives with me now. I placed her in the house... there were two small rooms. However, all this can be changed.

- For mercy, dad, why?

- Your friend will be visiting us... awkward...

- Please don’t worry about Bazarov. He is above all this.

“Well, you finally,” said Nikolai Petrovich. - The outhouse is bad - that’s the problem.

“For mercy, dad,” Arkady picked up, “you seem to be apologizing; How are you not ashamed?

“Of course, I should be ashamed,” answered Nikolai Petrovich, blushing more and more.

- Come on, dad, come on, do me a favor! – Arkady smiled affectionately. “What is he apologizing for!” - he thought to himself, and a feeling of condescending tenderness for his kind and gentle father, mixed with a feeling of some secret superiority, filled his soul. “Please stop,” he repeated again, involuntarily enjoying the consciousness of his own development and freedom.

Nikolai Petrovich looked at him from under the fingers of his hand, with which he continued to rub his forehead, and something stabbed him in the heart... But he immediately blamed himself.

“This is how our fields have gone,” he said after a long silence.

– And this ahead, it seems, is our forest? – Arkady asked.

- Yes, ours. Only I sold it. This year they will mix it.

- Why did you sell it?

– Money was needed; Moreover, this land goes to the peasants.

– Who don’t pay you rent?

“That’s their business, but by the way, they’ll pay someday.”

“It’s a pity for the forest,” Arkady remarked and began to look around.

The places they passed through could not be called picturesque. The fields, all the fields, stretched right up to the sky, now rising slightly, then falling again; Here and there small forests could be seen and, dotted with sparse and low bushes, ravines twisted, reminding the eye of their own image on the ancient plans of Catherine’s time. There were rivers with dug-out banks, and tiny ponds with thin dams, and villages with low huts under dark, often half-swept roofs, and crooked threshing sheds with walls woven from brushwood and yawning gates near empty barns, and churches, sometimes brick with plaster that had fallen off here and there, or wooden ones with leaning crosses and ruined cemeteries. Arkady's heart gradually sank. As if on purpose, the peasants were all worn out, on bad nags; roadside willows with stripped bark and broken branches stood like beggars in rags; emaciated, rough, as if gnawed, cows greedily nibbled grass in the ditches. It seemed that they had just escaped from someone’s menacing, deadly claws - and, caused by the pitiful appearance of exhausted animals, in the midst of a red spring day, the white ghost of a bleak, endless winter with its blizzards, frosts and snows arose... “No,” thought Arkady, - This is a poor region, it does not amaze you with either contentment or hard work; it’s impossible, he can’t stay like this, transformations are necessary... but how to carry them out, how to start?..”

So Arkady thought... and while he was thinking, spring took its toll. Everything around was golden green, everything was wide and softly agitated and shiny under the quiet breath of a warm breeze, everything - trees, bushes and grass; everywhere the larks poured out in endless ringing streams; the lapwings either screamed, hovering over the low-lying meadows, or silently ran across the hummocks; the rooks walked beautifully black in the tender greenery of the still low spring crops; they disappeared into the rye, which had already turned slightly white, only occasionally did their heads appear in its smoky waves. Arkady looked and looked, and, gradually weakening, his thoughts disappeared... He threw off his greatcoat and looked at his father so cheerfully, like a young boy, that he hugged him again.

“Now it’s not far,” Nikolai Petrovich noted, “you just have to climb this hill, and the house will be visible.” We will live a glorious life with you, Arkasha; You will help me with the housework, unless you get bored with it. We now need to get close to each other, get to know each other well, don’t we?

“Of course,” said Arkady, “but what a wonderful day it is today!”

- For your arrival, my soul. Yes, spring is in full splendor. However, I agree with Pushkin - remember, in Eugene Onegin:

How sad your appearance is to me,
Spring, spring, time for love!
Which…

Nikolai Petrovich fell silent, and Arkady, who began to listen to him not without some amazement, but also not without sympathy, hastened to take a silver box of matches from his pocket and sent it to Bazarov and Peter.

- Would you like a cigar? - Bazarov shouted again.

“Come on,” answered Arkady.

Peter returned to the stroller and handed him, along with the box, a thick black cigar, which Arkady immediately lit, spreading around him such a strong and sour smell of seasoned tobacco that Nikolai Petrovich, who had never smoked, involuntarily, although imperceptibly, so as not to offend his son, turned his nose away .

A quarter of an hour later, both carriages stopped in front of the porch of a new wooden house, painted gray and covered with a red iron roof. This was Maryino, Novaya Slobodka, or, according to the peasant name, Bobyliy Khutor.

IV

The crowd of servants did not pour out onto the porch to greet the gentlemen; Only one girl of about twelve appeared, and after her a young guy came out of the house, very similar to Peter, dressed in a gray livery jacket with white coat of arms buttons, the servant of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov. He silently opened the carriage door and unfastened the apron of the tarantass. Nikolai Petrovich with his son and Bazarov went through the dark and almost empty hall, from behind the door of which a young man flashed woman's face, into the living room, already decorated in the latest taste.

“Here we are at home,” said Nikolai Petrovich, taking off his cap and shaking his hair. “The main thing is now to have dinner and rest.”

“It’s really not bad to eat,” Bazarov remarked, stretching, and sank onto the sofa.

- Yes, yes, let's have dinner, have dinner quickly. - Nikolai Petrovich without any apparent reason stamped his feet. - By the way, Prokofich.

A man of about sixty entered, white-haired, thin and dark, wearing a brown tailcoat with copper buttons and a pink scarf around his neck. He grinned, walked up to Arkady's handle and, bowing to his guest, retreated to the door and put his hands behind his back.

“Here he is, Prokofich,” began Nikolai Petrovich, “he has finally come to us... What? how do you find it?

“In the best possible way, sir,” said the old man and grinned again, but immediately frowned his thick eyebrows. – Would you like to set the table? – he said impressively.

- Yes, yes, please. But won't you go to your room first, Evgeny Vasilich?

- No, thank you, there is no need. Just order my suitcase to be stolen there and this clothes,” he added, taking off his robe.

- Very good. Prokofich, take their overcoat. (Prokofich, as if in bewilderment, took Bazarov’s “dress” with both hands and, raising it high above his head, walked away on tiptoe.) And you, Arkady, will you go to your room for a minute?

“Yes, we need to clean ourselves,” Arkady answered and headed towards the door, but at that moment a man of average height, dressed in dark English clothes, entered the living room. suite, fashionable low tie and patent leather ankle boots, Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov. He looked about forty-five years old: his short-cropped gray hair shone with a dark shine, like new silver; His face, bilious, but without wrinkles, unusually regular and clean, as if drawn with a thin and light incisor, showed traces of remarkable beauty: his light, black, oblong eyes were especially beautiful. The whole appearance of Arkadiev's uncle, graceful and thoroughbred, retained youthful harmony and that desire upward, away from the earth, which for the most part disappears after the twenties.

Pavel Petrovich took his trousers out of his pocket beautiful hand with long pink nails, a hand that seemed even more beautiful from the snowy whiteness of the sleeve, fastened with a single large opal, and handed it to his nephew. Having previously performed the European “shake hands”, he kissed him three times, in Russian, that is, touched him three times with his scented mustache to his cheeks, and said:

- Welcome.

Nikolai Petrovich introduced him to Bazarov: Pavel Petrovich slightly tilted his flexible figure and smiled slightly, but did not offer his hand and even put it back in his pocket.

“I already thought that you wouldn’t come today,” he spoke in a pleasant voice, swaying courteously, twitching his shoulders and showing his beautiful white teeth. - Did something happen on the road?

“Nothing happened,” answered Arkady, “so, we hesitated a little.” But now we are hungry like wolves. Hurry Prokofich, dad, and I'll be right back.

- Wait, I'll go with you! - Bazarov exclaimed, suddenly rushing off the sofa.

Both young men left.

- Who is this? – asked Pavel Petrovich.

- Friend Arkasha, very, as he said, clever man.

– Will he visit us?

- This one is hairy?

Pavel Petrovich tapped his nails on the table.

“I find that Arkady s’est degourdi,” he remarked. - I'm glad he's back.

There was little conversation at dinner. In particular, Bazarov said almost nothing, but ate a lot. Nikolai Petrovich told different cases from his, as he put it, farm life, he talked about upcoming government measures, about committees, about deputies, about the need to start cars, etc. Pavel Petrovich walked slowly back and forth in the dining room (he never had dinner), occasionally sipping from a glass filled with red wine, and even more rarely uttering some remark or, rather, an exclamation, like “ah! hey! hmm! Arkady reported several St. Petersburg news, but he felt a little awkwardness, that awkwardness that usually takes possession of a young man when he has just ceased to be a child and returned to a place where they are accustomed to seeing and considering him a child. He unnecessarily drew out his speech, avoided the word “father” and even once replaced it with the word “father,” pronounced, however, through clenched teeth; with excessive cheekiness, he poured much more wine into his glass than he himself wanted, and drank all the wine. Prokofich did not take his eyes off him and just chewed with his lips. After dinner everyone immediately left.

“Your uncle is eccentric,” Bazarov said to Arkady, sitting in a dressing gown next to his bed and sucking on a short tube. - What a panache in the village, just think! Nails, nails, at least send them to the exhibition!

“But you don’t know,” answered Arkady, “after all, he was a lion in his time.” I'll tell you his story someday. After all, he was handsome and turned women’s heads.

- Yes, that's it! From old memory, that is. Unfortunately, there is no one to captivate here. I kept looking: he had these amazing collars, like stone ones, and his chin was so neatly shaved. Arkady Nikolaich, this is funny, isn't it?

- Perhaps; only he, really, good man.

- An archaic phenomenon! And your father is a nice guy. He reads poetry in vain and hardly understands housekeeping, but he is a good-natured person.

- My father is a golden man.

-Have you noticed that he is timid?

Arkady shook his head, as if he himself was not timid.

“It’s an amazing thing,” Bazarov continued, “these old romantics!” They will develop in themselves nervous system to the point of irritation... well, the balance is disturbed. However, goodbye! There is an English washstand in my room, but the door doesn’t lock. Still, this needs to be encouraged - English washstands, that is, progress!

Bazarov left, and Arkady was overcome by a joyful feeling. It’s sweet to fall asleep in your home, on a familiar bed, under a blanket, on which your favorite hands worked, perhaps the hands of a nanny, those gentle, kind and tireless hands. Arkady remembered Yegorovna, and sighed, and wished her the kingdom of heaven... He did not pray for himself.

Both he and Bazarov fell asleep soon, but the other people in the house were still awake for a long time. The return of his son excited Nikolai Petrovich. He went to bed, but did not extinguish the candles and, resting his head on his hand, thought long thoughts. His brother was sitting long after midnight in his office, on a wide gums chair, in front of the fireplace, in which a coal. Pavel Petrovich did not undress, only Chinese red shoes without backs replaced patent leather ankle boots on his feet. He held the last number in his hands Galignani, but he didn't read; he looked intently into the fireplace, where, now fading, now flaring up, the bluish flame shuddered... God knows where his thoughts wandered, but they wandered not only in the past: the expression of his face was concentrated and gloomy, which does not happen when a person is busy just memories. And in the small back room, on a large chest, sat, in a blue shower jacket and with a white scarf thrown over her dark hair, a young woman, Fenechka, was either listening, or dozing, or looking at the open door, from behind which a child’s crib could be seen and the even breathing of a sleeping child could be heard.

Candidate - a person who has passed a special “candidate exam” and defended a special written work upon graduation from the university, the first academic degree, installed in 1804

The English Club is a meeting place for wealthy and noble nobles for evening entertainment. Here they had fun, read newspapers, magazines, exchanged political news and opinions, etc. The custom of organizing this kind of clubs was borrowed from England. The first English club in Russia appeared in 1700.

Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons” in a chapter-by-chapter summary will be useful to any student in preparing for literature lessons and OGE exams and the Unified State Exam in both literature and the Russian language.

Chapters 1-3

The novel begins with the landowner Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov awaiting the arrival of his son at his estate, Maryino. The action takes place in the spring of 1859. When Nikolai Petrovich was young, many believed that he could become a good soldier, but this did not happen due to the injury he received. After finishing his studies at the university, he married and settled on the estate. Nikolai Petrovich's wife died ten years after the birth of his son Arkady, and Kirsanov spent a lot of time raising the boy. When the time came to study, he sent Arkady to St. Petersburg, living with him there for the first three years. Now his son must visit him in the village, and Nikolai Petrovich is very worried about meeting the matured Arkady; Moreover, he will not come alone, but together with his friend, Evgeny Bazarov.

Arkady introduces his father to his friend and tells Nikolai Petrovich that Evgeny is a simple person, and you can behave naturally with him. Father and son are riding in a carriage, and Bazarov is in a tarantass.

The elderly landowner is very happy to meet his son, constantly wants to hug him, which is why Arkady feels a little embarrassed and, in order not to show this, behaves somewhat cheekily. Also, the young man turns towards his friend, as if afraid that Bazarov can hear his questions about affairs on the estate and discussions about the beauties of nature. Nikolai Petrovich reports that there are no major changes in the life of the estate, except that now the girl Fenya lives with him. He is embarrassed and says that Fenya can leave if her son is against her being in the house; Arkady does not consider this necessary. Father and son feel awkward and change the direction of the conversation. Young Kirsanov sees desolation reigning everywhere; he believes that some changes are needed, but does not know what exactly. Then the men again discuss the splendor of nature; Nikolai Petrovich begins to read aloud a poem by Pushkin, but then Bazarov appears and asks his friend for a cigarette. Throughout the rest of the journey, the elder Kirsanov does not utter a word.

Chapters 4-5

Near the house, the men are met only by an old servant and a girl who briefly appears. Nikolai Petrovich invites everyone into the living room and tells the servant to serve dinner there. There, guests meet a neat elderly man, who turns out to be Nikolai’s older brother, Pavel Petrovich; his well-groomed appearance strongly contrasts with Bazarov’s unkempt appearance. After the acquaintance, the young people go to clean themselves up, and at this time Pavel Petrovich asks Nikolai about Bazarov, whose appearance aroused some hostility in him. They spoke little during dinner, and after it they immediately went to their rooms. Eugene shared with his friend his thoughts about his father and uncle; then they fell asleep almost immediately. The Kirsanov brothers remained awake for several more hours: Nikolai was thinking about his son, Pavel was thinking about something, looking at the fireplace fire. Fenechka looked at her baby, whose father is none other than Nikolai Petrovich.

The next morning, Bazarov, who woke up earlier than the others, goes for a walk; He is kept company by local boys, with whom he catches frogs. The rest are going to drink tea at this time. Arkady, going to see Fenichka, who is sick, finds out that he has a little brother. This news is good news young man, and he reproaches his father for not informing him about the birth of his son. Nikolai Petrovich and his brother are surprised by Bazarov's absence and ask Arkady questions about his friend; he says that Eugene is a nihilist, that is, a person who does not take anything for granted. Then Bazarov himself appears and carries the frogs into the room for further experiments.

Chapters 6-7

During a tea party, Pavel Petrovich argues with Bazarov; men have negative attitudes towards each other and do not hide it. Nikolai Petrovich, trying to avoid a scandal, asks the young man to help him choose fertilizers, and he agrees. Arkady tells his friend about Pavel Petrovich, hoping to change his opinion about his uncle. It turns out that Pavel Petrovich was a military man; He was destined for a great career, but at the age of 28 he fell in love with a princess who was married to an old man. The woman’s character was rather flighty, but this did not stop Pavel Petrovich from loving her. However, their relationship did not last long; The parting upset the man very much, he quit his service and for four years followed his beloved around different countries. Then he tried to continue his career, but soon learned that the princess had died. After this, Pavel Petrovich came to his brother, who also remained a widower.

Chapters 8-11

Nikolai Petrovich met Fenechka three years ago. He met her and her mother in a tavern; Things were really bad for women. Nikolai took them to his estate. After the death of Fenechka’s mother, he began to live with a girl who won his heart.

After a conversation with a friend, Bazarov meets Fenya and her son; he says that if they need medical help, they can always turn to him. After a while, Evgeniy hears Nikolai Kirsanov playing the cello and laughs. Arkady does not approve of his friend's behavior.

Two weeks pass. During this time, all the inhabitants of the estate got used to Bazarov, but Pavel Petrovich continues to hate him. Once Nikolai Petrovich overheard a conversation between his son and a friend, during which Evgeniy called Arkady a “retired man,” which was very offensive. Nikolai told his brother about this. Soon after drinking tea, another unpleasant conversation took place, during which Bazarov accused Arkady’s father of living, like all aristocrats, without any meaning. Pavel Petrovich expressed disagreement with the position of the young man, saying that nihilists like Bazarov only worsen the situation in society. A serious dispute arose; Evgeniy considered it pointless to continue the conversation and left. Arkady also left with him. Nikolai Petrovich remembered that once, when he was still his son’s age, he had a fight with his mother, who also did not understand his point of view. Now he himself cannot look at what is happening through the eyes of the young.

Chapters 12-14

The next day, Bazarov and Arkady leave for the city to visit an old friend; there they received an invitation to a ball, and Evgeniy’s acquaintance, Sitnikov, invited his friends to visit Evdokia Kukshina. Her friends didn't like it; Evdokia turned out to be an unkempt woman who did not listen to her interlocutor at all.

At the ball, young people meet Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. She drew attention to Arkady, who told the girl about his friend; Odintsova invited them to visit. It seemed to Bazarov that Anna Sergeevna was different from other women.

Chapters 15-19

Soon, friends came to visit the girl. They find out that she was married to a rich man for six years; He recently died, leaving her a rich inheritance. Bazarov's behavior at a party was unusual, and he spoke much more than usual. Anna Sergeevna spoke to Arkady as if she were a younger brother. As a farewell, she invited young people to her estate - Nikolskoye. There they met her sister Katya. Anna Sergeevna often walked in the garden with Bazarov, and Arkady experienced some feelings of jealousy.

Evgeny fell in love with Odintsova, despite the fact that he considered love nonsense. His feeling was mutual, but neither he nor Anna Sergeevna wanted to openly admit it. One day Bazarov met his father’s manager, who said that his parents were waiting for Evgeniy’s return and were worried about him. He decides to leave and soon confesses his love to Odintsova, but she says: “You don’t understand me.” The girl believes that she will be calmer alone. The next day the young people leave; Arkady thinks that Evgeny has changed a lot during his life in Nikolskoye.

Chapters 20-24

At the Bazarovs' estate, friends are greeted warmly and cordially. During dinner, the mother looked at her son all the time, and the father talked about the affairs of the estate. Father wanted to talk to Evgeniy after dinner, but he refused, citing fatigue; in fact, the young man was unable to sleep until the morning. Upon learning that their son was leaving again, the parents were very upset. After his departure, the Bazarovs were worried, deciding that Evgeniy had abandoned them. On the way back, the young people stop at Nikolskoye; there they were given a cold reception, and Anna Sergeevna looked dissatisfied.

Arkady and Evgeny return to Maryino, where their arrival caused sincere joy. Bazarov started experimenting, and Arkady started helping his father. However, young Kirsanov often thought about the Odintsovs; one day he finds correspondence between his mother and Odintsova’s mother and, under this pretext, goes to Nikolskoye, where he is given a warm welcome. At this time, Bazarov plunges headlong into experiments and moves away from all the inhabitants of the estate, except for Fenechka. One day in the gazebo he kisses a girl on the lips; Pavel Petrovich witnesses what happened, but says nothing. Evgeny begins to feel awkward; his conscience is tormenting him. Soon Pavel Petrovich challenges Bazarov to a duel; They do not give the real reason for this, saying that they are shooting because of political differences. During the duel, Evgeniy wounds his opponent in the leg.

Chapters 25-28

After this, Bazarov goes to his parents’ estate, but on the way decides to visit Nikolskoye. There, Arkady develops a good relationship with Anna Sergeevna’s sister, Katya. She says that Arkady is actually kind, but Bazarov has a negative influence on him. The young people try to confess their love to each other, but Arkady, frightened, goes to his room, where he meets Bazarov. Evgeny informs him about everything that happened in Maryino. Then Bazarov talks to Odintsova; they decide to remain friends.

Arkady proposes to Katya, and she agrees. Bazarov goes to his parents, having previously told his friend that he is “not suitable for decisive matters.” Living on his parents' estate, Evgeniy helps his father and treats the sick. Once, during the autopsy of a peasant who died of typhus, he was injured and became infected with a fatal disease. After some time, the young man began to develop a fever. He wants to see Odintsova; when the girl arrives, Bazarov shares his true feelings with her, after which he dies.

Six months later, two weddings take place in Maryino on the same day. Arkady marries Katya, and Nikolai Petrovich marries Fenechka. Pavel Petrovich goes abroad, Anna Sergeevna also gets married, and Bazarov’s parents spend almost all their time at their son’s grave.

Current page: 1 (book has 17 pages in total)

I. S. Turgenev
Fathers and Sons

* * *

Fathers and Sons

Dedicated to the memory of Vissarion Grigorievich Belinsky

I

- You can’t see it? - the master repeated.

“You can’t see it,” the servant answered a second time.

The master sighed and sat down on the bench. Let us introduce the reader to him while he sits with his legs tucked under him and thoughtfully looking around.

And in the same year, General Kirsanov, dismissed for an unsuccessful review, came to St. Petersburg with his wife to live. He rented a house near the Tauride Garden and joined the English Club, 2
English club- a meeting place for wealthy and noble nobles for evening pastime. Here they had fun, read newspapers, magazines, exchanged political news and opinions, etc. The custom of organizing clubs of this kind was borrowed from England. The first English club in Russia appeared in 1700.

But he suddenly died from a blow. Agathoklea Kuzminishna soon followed him: she could not get used to the remote capital life; the melancholy of a retired existence gnawed at her. Meanwhile, Nikolai Petrovich managed, while his parents were still alive and much to their chagrin, to fall in love with the daughter of the official Prepolovensky, the former owner of his apartment, a pretty and, as they say, developed girl: she read serious articles in magazines in the Sciences section. He married her as soon as the period of mourning had passed, and, leaving the Ministry of Appanages, where, under the patronage of his father, he had been enrolled, he lived in bliss with his Masha, first at the dacha near the Forestry Institute, then in the city, in a small and pretty apartment, with a clean staircase and a cold living room, finally - in the village, where he finally settled and where his son Arkady was soon born. The couple lived very well and quietly: they almost never parted, read together, played four hands on the piano, sang duets; she planted flowers and looked after the poultry yard, he occasionally went hunting and did housework, and Arkady grew and grew - also well and quietly. Ten years passed like a dream. In 1947, Kirsanov’s wife died. He barely endured this blow and turned gray in a few weeks; I was about to go abroad to disperse at least a little... but then the year 1948 came. 3
« ...but then came 1948" – 1848 is the year of the February and June revolutions in France. Fear of revolution caused Nicholas I to take drastic measures, including a ban on traveling abroad.

He inevitably returned to the village and, after quite a long period of inactivity, began economic reforms. In 1955 he took his son to university; lived with him for three winters in St. Petersburg, almost never going anywhere and trying to make acquaintances with Arkady’s young comrades. He could not come for the last winter - and now we see him in May 1859, already completely gray-haired, plump and slightly hunched over: he is waiting for his son, who, like himself once, received the title of candidate.

The servant, out of a sense of decency, and perhaps not wanting to remain under the master's eye, went under the gate and lit a pipe. Nikolai Petrovich hung his head and began to look at the dilapidated steps of the porch: a large motley chicken was sedately walking along them, firmly knocking its large yellow legs; the dirty cat looked at him unfriendlyly, coyly snuggling on the railing. The sun was hot; The smell of warm rye bread wafted from the dim hallway of the inn. Our Nikolai Petrovich was daydreaming. “Son... candidate... Arkasha...” was constantly spinning in his head; he tried to think about something else, and the same thoughts returned again. He remembered his deceased wife... “I couldn’t wait!” - he whispered sadly... A fat gray pigeon flew onto the road and hurriedly went to drink in a puddle near the well. Nikolai Petrovich began to look at him, and his ear was already catching the sound of approaching wheels...

“No way, they’re on their way,” the servant reported, emerging from under the gate.

- Arkasha! Arkasha! - Kirsanov shouted, and ran, and waved his arms... A few moments later, his lips were already attached to the beardless, dusty and tanned cheek of the young candidate.

II

“Let me shake myself off, dad,” Arkady said in a somewhat hoarse, but sonorous youthful voice, cheerfully responding to his father’s caresses, “I’ll get you all dirty.”

Nikolai Petrovich seemed much more alarmed than his son; he seemed a little lost, as if he was timid. Arkady stopped him.

“Daddy,” he said, “let me introduce you to my good friend, Bazarov, about whom I wrote to you so often.” He was so kind that he agreed to stay with us.

“I’m sincerely glad,” he began, “and grateful for the good intention to visit us; I hope... may I ask your name and patronymic?

“I hope, my dear Evgeny Vasilich, that you will not get bored with us,” continued Nikolai Petrovich.

Bazarov’s thin lips moved slightly; but he did not answer and only raised his cap. His dark blond hair, long and thick, did not hide the large bulges of his spacious skull.

“So, Arkady,” Nikolai Petrovich spoke again, turning to his son, “should we pawn the horses now, or what?” Or do you want to relax?

- Let's rest at home, dad; ordered to lay it down.

“Now, now,” the father picked up. - Hey, Peter, do you hear? Give orders, brother, quickly.

Peter, who, as an improved servant, did not approach the barich’s handle, but only bowed to him from afar, again disappeared under the gate.

Nikolai Petrovich's coachman led the horses out.

- Well, turn around, fat beard! - Bazarov turned to the coachman.

“Listen, Mityukha,” picked up another driver standing right there with his hands stuck in the back holes of his sheepskin coat, “what did the master call you?” Thickbeard is.

Mityukha just shook his cap and pulled the reins with a sweaty horse.

“Hurry up, hurry up, guys, help me,” Nikolai Petrovich exclaimed, “it’ll be for vodka!”

III

“So, finally, you are a candidate and have arrived home,” said Nikolai Petrovich, touching Arkady on the shoulder and then on the knee. - Finally!

- What about uncle? healthy? - asked Arkady, who, despite the sincere, almost childish joy that filled him, wanted to quickly turn the conversation from an excited mood to an ordinary one.

- Healthy. He wanted to go with me to meet you, but for some reason he changed his mind.

- How long have you been waiting for me? – Arkady asked.

- Yes, about five o'clock.

- Good dad!

Arkady quickly turned to his father and loudly kissed him on the cheek. Nikolai Petrovich laughed quietly.

- What a nice horse I have prepared for you! - he began, - you will see. And your room is covered with wallpaper.

- Is there a room for Bazarov?

- There will be one for him too.

- Please, daddy, caress him. I can't tell you how much I value his friendship.

-Have you met him recently?

- Recently.

“That’s why I didn’t see him last winter.” What is he doing?

– His main subject is natural sciences. Yes, he knows everything. Next year he wants to become a doctor.

- A! “He’s in the medical faculty,” Nikolai Petrovich noted and paused. “Peter,” he added and extended his hand, “are these our men coming?”

“Exactly so,” said Peter.

-Where are they going, to the city, or what?

“I have a lot of trouble with the men this year,” Nikolai Petrovich continued, turning to his son. - They don’t pay rent. 4
quitrent- a more progressive monetary form of exploitation of peasants compared to corvee. The peasant was “doomed” in advance to give the landowner a certain amount of money, and he would let him go from the estate to earn money.

What will you do?

– Are you satisfied with your hired workers?

“You don’t have a shadow, that’s the problem,” Arkady noted, without answering the last question.

– I have a large awning on the north side above the balcony 5
Marquise- here: canopy from any thick fabric above the balcony for protection from sun and rain.

“I added it,” said Nikolai Petrovich, “now you can dine outdoors.”

Arkady suddenly stopped, cast an indirect glance back and fell silent.

“Of course,” Nikolai Petrovich noted, “you were born here, everything here should seem something special to you...

“Well, dad, it’s the same no matter where a person was born.”

- However…

– No, it’s completely the same.

Nikolai Petrovich looked sideways at his son, and the carriage drove half a mile before the conversation resumed between them.

“I don’t remember if I wrote to you,” Nikolai Petrovich began, “your former nanny, Egorovna, has died.”

- Really? Poor old woman! Is Prokofich alive?

- Alive and hasn’t changed at all. Still grumbling. In general, you won’t find any big changes in Maryino.

– Is your clerk still the same?

Now I have a clerk 8
Clerk– here: estate manager.

From the bourgeoisie: 9
Bourgeois- one of the classes in Tsarist Russia.

Seems like a smart guy. I assigned him two hundred and fifty rubles a year. However,” Nikolai Petrovich added, rubbing his forehead and eyebrows with his hand, which always served as a sign of internal confusion for him, “I just told you that you won’t find changes in Maryino... This is not entirely fair. I consider it my duty to preface you, although...

He paused for a moment and continued in French.

- Fenechka? – Arkady asked cheekily.

Nikolai Petrovich blushed.

- Please don’t call her loudly... Well, yes... she lives with me now. I placed her in the house... there were two small rooms. However, all this can be changed.

- For mercy, dad, why?

- Your friend will be visiting us... awkward...

- Please don’t worry about Bazarov. He is above all this.

“Well, you finally,” said Nikolai Petrovich. - The outhouse is bad - that’s the problem.

“For mercy, dad,” Arkady picked up, “you seem to be apologizing; How are you not ashamed?

“Of course, I should be ashamed,” answered Nikolai Petrovich, blushing more and more.

Nikolai Petrovich looked at him from under the fingers of his hand, with which he continued to rub his forehead, and something stabbed him in the heart... But he immediately blamed himself.

“This is how our fields have gone,” he said after a long silence.

– And this ahead, it seems, is our forest? – Arkady asked.

- Yes, ours. Only I sold it. This year they will mix it.

- Why did you sell it?

– Money was needed; Moreover, this land goes to the peasants.

– Who don’t pay you rent?

“That’s their business, but by the way, they’ll pay someday.”

“It’s a pity for the forest,” Arkady remarked and began to look around.

Near the empty barns and churches, either brick with plaster falling off here and there, or wooden with leaning crosses and ruined cemeteries. Arkady's heart gradually sank. As if on purpose, the peasants were all worn out, on bad nags; roadside willows with stripped bark and broken branches stood like beggars in rags; emaciated, rough, as if gnawed, cows greedily nibbled grass in the ditches. It seemed that they had just escaped from someone’s menacing, deadly claws - and, caused by the pitiful appearance of exhausted animals, in the midst of a red spring day, the white ghost of a bleak, endless winter with its blizzards, frosts and snows arose... “No,” thought Arkady, - This is a poor region, it does not amaze you with either contentment or hard work; it’s impossible, he can’t stay like this, transformations are necessary... but how to carry them out, how to start?..”

“Of course,” said Arkady, “but what a wonderful day it is today!”

- For your arrival, my soul. Yes, spring is in full splendor. However, I agree with Pushkin - remember, in Eugene Onegin:

How sad your appearance is to me,
Spring, spring, time for love!
Which…

- Would you like a cigar? - Bazarov shouted again.

“Come on,” answered Arkady.

IV

With white coat of arms buttons, servant of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov. He silently opened the carriage door and unfastened the apron of the tarantass. Nikolai Petrovich with his son and Bazarov went through the dark and almost empty hall, from behind the door of which a young woman’s face flashed, into the living room, already decorated in the latest taste.

“Here we are at home,” said Nikolai Petrovich, taking off his cap and shaking his hair. “The main thing is now to have dinner and rest.”

“It’s really not bad to eat,” Bazarov remarked, stretching, and sank onto the sofa.

- Yes, yes, let's have dinner, have dinner quickly. – Nikolai Petrovich stamped his feet for no apparent reason. - By the way, Prokofich.

“Here he is, Prokofich,” began Nikolai Petrovich, “he has finally come to us... What? how do you find it?

“In the best possible way, sir,” said the old man and grinned again, but immediately frowned his thick eyebrows. – Would you like to set the table? – he said impressively.

- Yes, yes, please. But won't you go to your room first, Evgeny Vasilich?

- No, thank you, there is no need. Just order my suitcase to be stolen there and this clothes,” he added, taking off his robe.

Fashionable low tie and patent leather ankle boots, Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov. He looked about forty-five years old: his short-cropped gray hair shone with a dark shine, like new silver; His face, bilious, but without wrinkles, unusually regular and clean, as if drawn with a thin and light incisor, showed traces of remarkable beauty: his light, black, oblong eyes were especially beautiful. The whole appearance of Arkady's uncle, graceful and thoroughbred, retained youthful harmony and that desire upward, away from the earth, which for the most part disappears after the twenties.

Pavel Petrovich took his beautiful hand with long pink nails from the pocket of his trousers, a hand that seemed even more beautiful from the snowy whiteness of the sleeve fastened with a single large opal, and handed it to his nephew. Having previously performed the European “shake hands”, 13
Handshake (English).

He kissed him three times, in Russian, that is, touched his cheeks with his fragrant mustache three times, and said:

- Welcome.

Nikolai Petrovich introduced him to Bazarov: Pavel Petrovich slightly tilted his flexible figure and smiled slightly, but did not offer his hand and even put it back in his pocket.

“Nothing happened,” answered Arkady, “so, we hesitated a little.” But now we are hungry like wolves. Hurry Prokofich, dad, and I'll be right back.

- Wait, I'll go with you! - Bazarov exclaimed, suddenly rushing off the sofa.

Both young men left.

- Who is this? – asked Pavel Petrovich.

- Friend Arkasha, a very smart person, according to him.

– Will he visit us?

- This one is hairy?

Pavel Petrovich tapped his nails on the table.

– I find that Arkady s’est degourdi, 14
Became more cheeky (French).

– he remarked. - I'm glad he's back.

There was little conversation at dinner. In particular, Bazarov said almost nothing, but ate a lot. Nikolai Petrovich told various incidents from his, as he put it, farm life, talked about upcoming government measures, about committees, about deputies, about the need to start cars, etc. Pavel Petrovich slowly walked back and forth in the dining room (he never had dinner ), occasionally taking a sip from a glass filled with red wine, and even more rarely uttering some remark or, rather, an exclamation, like “ah! hey! hmm! Arkady reported several St. Petersburg news, but he felt a little awkwardness, that awkwardness that usually takes possession of a young man when he has just ceased to be a child and returned to a place where they are accustomed to seeing and considering him a child. He unnecessarily drew out his speech, avoided the word “father” and even once replaced it with the word “father,” pronounced, however, through clenched teeth; with excessive cheekiness, he poured much more wine into his glass than he himself wanted, and drank all the wine. Prokofich did not take his eyes off him and just chewed with his lips. After dinner everyone immediately left.

“But you don’t know,” answered Arkady, “after all, he was a lion in his time.” I'll tell you his story someday. After all, he was handsome and turned women’s heads.

- Perhaps; Only he is really a good person.

- An archaic phenomenon! And your father is a nice guy. He reads poetry in vain and hardly understands housekeeping, but he is a good-natured person.

- My father is a golden man.

-Have you noticed that he is timid?

Arkady shook his head, as if he himself was not timid.

“It’s an amazing thing,” Bazarov continued, “these old romantics!” They will develop their nervous system to the point of irritation... well, the balance will be disrupted. However, goodbye! There is an English washstand in my room, but the door doesn’t lock. Still, this needs to be encouraged - English washstands, that is, progress!

In front of the fireplace, in which coal smoldered faintly. Pavel Petrovich did not undress, only Chinese red shoes without backs replaced patent leather ankle boots on his feet. He held the last number in his hands Galignani,16
"Galignani"- "Galignani's Messenger" - "Galignani's Messenger" - a daily newspaper published in Paris on English language since 1814. It was named after its founder, Giovanni Antonio Galignani.

But he didn't read; he looked intently into the fireplace, where, now fading, now flaring up, the bluish flame shuddered... God knows where his thoughts wandered, but they wandered not only in the past: the expression of his face was concentrated and gloomy, which does not happen when a person is busy just memories. And in the small back room, on a large chest, she was sitting, wearing a blue shower jacket. 17
Women's warm jacket, usually sleeveless, with ruching at the waist.

And with a white scarf thrown over her dark hair, the young woman, Fenechka, was now listening, now dozing, now looking at the open door, from behind which a crib could be seen and the even breathing of a sleeping child could be heard.

V

The next morning, Bazarov woke up before everyone else and left the house. “Hey! - he thought, looking around, - this place is unprepossessing. When Nikolai Petrovich separated himself from his peasants, he had to allocate four tithes of completely flat and bare fields for a new estate. He built a house, services and a farm, laid out a garden, dug a pond and two wells; but the young trees were poorly received, very little water accumulated in the pond, and the wells turned out to have a salty taste. The arbor alone of lilacs and acacias has grown considerably; Sometimes they drank tea and had lunch there. In a few minutes, Bazarov ran around all the paths of the garden, went to the barnyard, to the stables, found two yard boys, with whom he immediately made acquaintance, and went with them to a small swamp, a mile from the estate, to look for frogs.

- What do you need frogs for, master? – one of the boys asked him.

“But here’s what,” answered Bazarov, who had a special ability to arouse trust in himself in lower people, although he never indulged them and treated them carelessly, “I’ll spread out the frog and see what’s going on inside it; and since you and I are the same frogs, we just walk on our feet, I will know what’s going on inside us too.

- What do you need this for?

- And so as not to make a mistake, if you get sick and I have to treat you.

-Are you a doctor?

- Vaska, listen, the master says that you and I are the same frogs. Wonderful!

“I’m afraid of them, frogs,” remarked Vaska, a boy of about seven, with a head as white as linen, wearing a gray Cossack jacket with a stand-up collar and barefoot.

- What to be afraid of? do they bite?

“Well, get into the water, philosophers,” said Bazarov.

Meanwhile, Nikolai Petrovich also woke up and went to Arkady, whom he found dressed. Father and son went out onto the terrace, under the awning; near the railing, on the table, between large bouquets of lilacs, the samovar was already boiling. A girl appeared, the same one who had first met the newcomers on the porch the day before, and said in a thin voice:

– Fedosya Nikolaevna is not entirely healthy and cannot come; ordered to ask you, would you like to pour the tea yourself or send Dunyasha?

“I’ll pour it myself, myself,” Nikolai Petrovich hastily picked up. - What do you drink your tea with, Arkady, cream or lemon?

“With cream,” answered Arkady and, after a short silence, said questioningly: “Dad?”

Nikolai Petrovich looked at his son with confusion.

- What? - he said.

Arkady lowered his eyes.

“I’m sorry, dad, if my question seems inappropriate to you,” he began, “but you yourself, with your frankness yesterday, are challenging me to frankness... won’t you be angry?..”

- Speak.

“You give me the courage to ask you... Isn’t it because Fen... isn’t it because she doesn’t come here to pour tea because I’m here?”

Nikolai Petrovich turned away slightly.

“Perhaps,” he said at last, “she assumes... she is ashamed...”

Arkady quickly glanced up at his father.

“She shouldn’t be ashamed.” Firstly, you know my way of thinking (Arkady was very pleased to say these words), and secondly, would I want to restrict your life, your habits, even by a hair? Moreover, I’m sure you couldn’t make a bad choice; if you allowed her to live with you under the same roof, then she deserves it: in any case, a son is not his father’s judge, and especially not me, and especially a father like you who has never hampered my life in any way. freedom.

Arkady's voice trembled at first: he felt generous, but at the same time he understood that he was reading something like an instruction to his father; but the sound of one’s own speeches has a strong effect on a person, and Arkady pronounced the last words firmly, even with effect.

Turgenev's novel "Fathers and Sons" was written in 1861. He was immediately destined to become a symbol of the era. The author especially clearly expressed the problem of the relationship between two generations.

To understand the plot of the work, we suggest reading “Fathers and Sons” in a chapter-by-chapter summary. The retelling was done by a teacher of Russian literature, it reflects all important points works.

Average reading time is 8 minutes.

Main characters

Evgeny Bazarov- a young man, a medical student, a bright representative of nihilism, a trend when a person denies everything in the world.

Arkady Kirsanov– a recent student who arrived at his parents’ estate. Under the influence of Bazarov, he becomes interested in nihilism. At the end of the novel, he realizes that he cannot live like this and abandons the idea.

Kirsanov Nikolay Petrovich- landowner, widower, father of Arkady. He lives on the estate with Fenechka, who bore him a son. Adheres to progressive ideas, loves poetry and music.

Kirsanov Pavel Petrovich- aristocrat, former military man. Brother of Nikolai Kirsanov and uncle of Arkady. A prominent representative of the liberals.

Bazarov Vasily Ivanovich– retired army surgeon, Evgeniy’s father. Lives on his wife's estate, is not rich. He is engaged in medical practice.

Bazarova Arina Vlasevna- Evgeniy’s mother, a pious and very superstitious woman. Poorly educated.

Odintsova Anna Sergeevna- a rich widow who sympathizes with Bazarov. But he values peace in his life more.

Lokteva Katya- Anna Sergeevna’s sister, a modest and quiet girl. Marries Arkady.

Other characters

Fenechka- a young woman who has a small son from Nikolai Kirsanov.

Victor Sitnikov- an acquaintance of Arkady and Bazarov.

Evdokia Kukshina- an acquaintance of Sitnikov, who shares the beliefs of nihilists.

Matvey Kolyazin- city official

Chapter 1.

The action begins in the spring of 1859. At the inn, the small landowner Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov is waiting for the arrival of his son. He is a widower, lives on a small estate and has 200 souls. In his youth, he was destined for a military career, but a minor leg injury prevented him. He studied at the university, got married and began to live in the village. 10 years after the birth of his son, his wife dies, and Nikolai Petrovich throws himself into farming and raising his son. When Arkady grew up, his father sent him to St. Petersburg to study. There he lived with him for three years and returned to his village again. He is very worried before the meeting, especially since his son is not traveling alone.

Chapter 2.

Arkady introduces his father to his friend and asks him not to stand on ceremony. Evgeny is a simple person, and you don’t have to be shy about him. Bazarov decides to ride in a tarantass, and Nikolai Petrovich and Arkady sit in the carriage.

Chapter 3.

During the journey, the father cannot calm down his joy from meeting his son; he always tries to hug him and asks about his friend. Arkady is a little shy. He tries to show his indifference and speaks in a cheeky tone. He constantly turns to Bazarov, as if he is afraid that he will hear his thoughts about the beauty of nature, that he is interested in the affairs of the estate.
Nikolai Petrovich says that the estate has not changed. Hesitating a little, he tells his son that Fenya’s girlfriend lives with him, and immediately hurries to say that she can leave if Arkady wants it. The son replies that this is not necessary. Both feel awkward and change the topic of conversation.

Looking at the desolation that reigned all around, Arkady thinks about the benefits of transformations, but he does not understand how to implement them. The conversation smoothly flows into the beauty of nature. Kirsanov Sr. is trying to recite a poem by Pushkin. He is interrupted by Evgeniy, who asks Arkady for a cigarette. Nikolai Petrovich falls silent and remains silent until the end of the journey.

Chapter 4.

At the manor's house no one met them, only an old servant and a girl who appeared for a moment. Having left the carriage, the elder Kirsanov leads the guests into the living room, where he asks the servant to serve dinner. At the door they encounter a handsome and very well-groomed elderly man. This is Nikolai Kirsanov’s older brother, Pavel Petrovich. His impeccable appearance stands out strongly against the background of the unkempt-looking Bazarov. An acquaintance took place, after which the young people went to clean up before dinner. In their absence, Pavel Petrovich begins to ask his brother about Bazarov, appearance which he didn't like.

During the meal, the conversation did not go well. Everyone said little, especially Evgeniy. After eating, everyone immediately went to their rooms. Bazarov told Arkady his impressions of the meeting with his relatives. They quickly fell asleep. The Kirsanov brothers did not sleep for a long time: Nikolai Petrovich kept thinking about his son, Pavel Petrovich looked thoughtfully at the fire, and Fenechka looked at her little sleeping son, whose father was Nikolai Kirsanov. The summary of the novel “Fathers and Sons” does not convey all the feelings that the characters experience.

Chapter 5.

Waking up earlier than everyone else, Evgeniy goes for a walk to explore the surroundings. The boys follow him and everyone goes to the swamp to catch frogs.

The Kirsanovs are going to drink tea on the veranda. Arkady goes to see Fenechka, who is said to be ill, and learns about the existence of his little brother. He rejoices and blames his father for hiding the fact of the birth of another son. Nikolai Kirsanov is touched and does not know what to answer.

The older Kirsanovs are interested in Bazarov’s absence and Arkady talks about him, says that he is a nihilist, a person who does not take principles for granted. Bazarov returned with the frogs, which he took to the experiment room.

Chapter 6.

While having morning tea together, a serious argument breaks out between Pavel Petrovich and Evgeniy. Both do not try to hide their dislike for each other. Nikolai Kirsanov tries to take the conversation in a different direction and asks Bazarov to help him with the choice of fertilizers. He agrees.

In order to somehow change Evgeny’s ridicule towards Pavel Petrovich, Arkady decides to tell his friend his story.

Chapter 7.

Pavel Petrovich was a military man. Women adored him, and men envied him. At 28, his career was just beginning and he could go far. But Kirsanov fell in love with a princess. She had no children, but had an old husband. She led the life of a flighty coquette, but Pavel fell deeply in love and could not live without her. After the separation, he suffered greatly, quit his service and followed her all over the world for 4 years.

Returning to his homeland, he tried to lead the same lifestyle as before, but, having learned about the death of his beloved, he went to the village to live with his brother, who at that time became a widower.

Chapter 8.

Pavel Petrovich does not know what to do with himself: he is present during the conversation between the manager and Nikolai Kirsanov, and comes to Fenechka to look at little Mitya.

The story of how Nikolai Kirsanov and Fenechka met: three years ago he met her in a tavern, where things were going badly for her and her mother. Kirsanov took them to the estate, fell in love with the girl, and after the death of her mother began to live with her.

Chapter 9

Bazarov meets Fenechka and the child, says that he is a doctor, and if the need arises, they can contact him without hesitation. Hearing Nikolai Kirsanov play the cello, Bazarov laughs, which causes Arkady's disapproval.

Chapter 10.

In two weeks, everyone got used to Bazarov, but they treated him differently: the servants loved him, Pavel Kirsanov hated him, and Nikolai Petrovich doubted his influence on his son. One day, he overheard a conversation between Arkady and Eugene. Bazarov called him a retired man, which greatly offended him. Nikolai complained to his brother, who decided to fight back against the young nihilist.

An unpleasant conversation took place during evening tea. By calling one landowner a “rubbish aristocrat,” Bazarov displeased the elder Kirsanov, who began to argue that by following principles, a person benefits society. Eugene responded by accusing him of living meaninglessly, like other aristocrats. Pavel Petrovich objected that the nihilists, with their denial, are only aggravating the situation in Russia.

A serious argument broke out, which Bazarov called senseless, and the young people left. Nikolai Petrovich suddenly remembered how a long time ago, when he was just as young, he quarreled with his mother, who did not understand him. Now the same misunderstanding arose between him and his son. The parallel between fathers and children is the main thing the author draws attention to.

Chapter 11.

Before going to bed, all the inhabitants of the estate were busy with their thoughts. Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov goes to his favorite gazebo, where he remembers his wife and reflects on life. Pavel Petrovich looks at the night sky and thinks about his own things. Bazarov invites Arkady to go to the city and visit an old friend.

Chapter 12.

The friends went to the city, where they spent time in the company of a friend of the Bazarov family, Matvey Ilyin, visited the governor and received an invitation to the ball. Bazarov’s longtime acquaintance Sitnikov invited them to visit Evdokia Kukshina.

Chapter 13.

They didn’t like visiting Kukshina, because the hostess looked untidy, had meaningless conversations, asked a lot of questions, but did not expect answers to them. In conversation she constantly jumped from subject to subject. During this visit, the name of Anna Sergeevna Odintsova was heard for the first time.

Chapter 14.

Arriving at the ball, friends meet Odintsova, dear and attractive woman. She shows attention to Arkady, asking him about everything. He talks about his friend and Anna Sergeevna invites them to visit.

Odintsova interested Evgeny because she was different from other women, and he agreed to visit her.

Chapter 15.

Friends come to visit Odintsova. The meeting made an impression on Bazarov and he, unexpectedly, became embarrassed.

Odintsova's story makes an impression on the reader. The girl's father lost the game and died in the village, leaving his two daughters a ruined estate. Anna was not at a loss and took up housekeeping. I met my future husband and lived with him for 6 years. Then he died, leaving his young wife his fortune. She did not like city society and most often lived on the estate.

Bazarov behaved differently than always, which greatly surprised his friend. He talked a lot, talked about medicine and botany. Anna Sergeevna willingly supported the conversation, as she understood the sciences. She treated Arkady as younger brother. At the end of the conversation, she invited the young people to her estate.

Chapter 16.

In Nikolskoye, Arkady and Bazarov met other inhabitants. Anna's sister Katya was shy and played the piano. Anna Sergeevna talked a lot with Evgeniy and walked with him in the garden. Arkady, who liked her, seeing her passion for her friend, became a little jealous. A feeling arose between Bazarov and Odintsova.

Chapter 17.

While living on the estate, Bazarov began to change. He fell in love, despite the fact that he considered this feeling a romantic billbird. He could not turn away from her and imagined her in his arms. The feeling was mutual, but they did not want to open up to each other.

Bazarov meets his father’s manager, who says that his parents are waiting for him, they are worried. Evgeniy announces his departure. In the evening, a conversation takes place between Bazar and Anna Sergeevna, where they try to understand what each of them dreams of getting from life.

Chapter 18.

Bazarov confesses his love to Odintsova. In response, he hears: “You didn’t understand me,” and feels extremely awkward. Anna Sergeevna believes that without Evgeny she will be calmer and does not accept his confession. Bazarov decides to leave.

Chapter 19.

There was a not entirely pleasant conversation between Odintsova and Bazarov. He told her that he was leaving, he could stay only on one condition, but it was unrealistic and Anna Sergeevna would never love him.

The next day, Arkady and Bazarov leave for Evgeny’s parents. Saying goodbye, Odintsova expresses hope for a meeting. Arkady notices that his friend has changed a lot.

Chapter 20.

They were received well in the house of the elder Bazarovs. The parents were very happy, but knowing that their son did not approve of such a manifestation of feelings, they tried to remain more restrained. During lunch, the father talked about how he runs the household, and the mother just looked at her son.

After dinner, Evgeniy refused to talk to his father, citing fatigue. However, he did not fall asleep until the morning. In the novel "Fathers and Sons" the description of relations between generations is shown better than in other works.

Chapter 21

Bazarov spent very little time at his parents’ house, as he was bored. He believed that with their attention they were interfering with his work. There was an argument between friends that almost escalated into a quarrel. Arkady tried to prove that it was impossible to live like this, Bazarov did not agree with his opinion.

Parents, having learned about Evgeniy’s decision to leave, were very upset, but tried not to show their feelings, especially his father. He reassured his son that if he had to leave, then he had to do it. After leaving, the parents were left alone and were very worried that their son had abandoned them.

Chapter 22.

On the way, Arkady decided to take a detour to Nikolskoye. Friends were greeted very coldly. Anna Sergeevna did not come down for a long time, and when she appeared, she had a dissatisfied expression on her face and from her speech it was clear that they were not welcome.

The elder Kirsanovs' estate was delighted with them. Bazarov began to engage in wholesale and his own frogs. Arkady helped his father manage the estate, but constantly thought about the Odintsovs. Finally, having found correspondence between his mothers and Odintsova’s, he finds an excuse to go visit them. Arkady is afraid that he will not be welcome, but he alone was greeted warmly and cordially.

Chapter 23.

Bazarov understands the reason for Arkady’s departure and devotes himself completely to work. He retires and no longer argues with the inhabitants of the house. He treats everyone badly, making an exception only for Fenechka.
One day in the gazebo they talked a lot, and, deciding to test their thoughts, Bazarov kissed her on the lips. This was seen by Pavel Petrovich, who silently went into the house. Bazarov felt awkward, his conscience awoke.

Chapter 24.

Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is offended by Bazarov's behavior and challenges him to a duel. Confess to home in true reasons they don’t want to and say that they shot because of political differences. Evgeny wounds Kirsanov in the leg.

Having completely ruined his relationship with the elder Kirsanovs, Bazarov leaves for his parents, but on the way he turns to Nikolskoye.

Arkady becomes more and more interested in Anna Sergeevna's sister, Katya.

Chapter 25.

Katya talks to Arkady and convinces him that without his friend’s influence he is completely different, sweet and kind. They try to declare their love to each other, but Arkady gets scared and hurriedly leaves. In his room he finds Bazarov, who has arrived, who told him about what happened in Maryino in his absence. Having met with Odintsova, Bazarov admits his mistakes. They tell each other that they want to remain just friends.

Chapter 26.

Arkady confesses his love to Katya, asks for her hand in marriage and she agrees to become his wife. Bazarov says goodbye to his friend, angrily accusing him of being unsuitable for decisive matters. Evgeniy goes to his parents' estate.

Chapter 27.

Living in his parents' house, Bazarov does not know what to do. Then he begins to help his father, treating the sick. While opening up a peasant who died of typhus, he accidentally injures himself and becomes infected with typhus. A fever begins, he asks to send for Odintsova. Anna Sergeevna arrives and sees a completely different person. Before his death, Evgeniy tells her about his real feelings, and then dies.

Chapter 28.

Six months have passed. Two weddings took place on the same day, Arkady and Katya and Nikolai Petrovich and Fenya. Pavel Petrovich went abroad. Anna Sergeevna also got married, becoming a companion not out of love, but out of conviction.

Life went on and only two old people constantly spent time at their son’s grave, where two Christmas trees grew.

This brief retelling of “Fathers and Sons” will help you understand the main idea and essence of the work; for deeper knowledge, we recommend that you read the full version.

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Even the most impressive books can unwittingly fade in your memory over time; time rushes to erase insignificant episodes from it. However, a literature teacher tests knowledge of details, so he can make sure that the work has actually been studied, read and analyzed (book analysis, by the way). That is why we offer a brief retelling of Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons” chapter by chapter. This way you won't miss anything.

The reader is transported to 1859 and sees the landowner Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov. The author describes his fate: the hero grew up in the family of a wealthy general, and after graduating from St. Petersburg University he married the woman he loved. But after her death, the nobleman, living in the village, raised his firstborn alone.

When the boy enrolled in the university, he and his father were in the capital, and the elder Kirsanov did not miss the opportunity to be closer to his son, so he always tried to get to know Arkady’s comrades.

The author smoothly moves on to the beginning, describing the present: now Nikolai Petrovich is a 44-year-old nobleman who is engaged in farming “in a new way.” Nothing works out for him in this matter, but he does not give up, because he is waiting for his young son to help. The old man impatiently wanders around the inn and looks out for the carriage.

Chapter II

Finally, the long-awaited guest arrives, but not alone: he has a friend with him. Turgenev says this about:

in a long robe with tassels... a bare red arm... hanging sideburns... his face expressed self-confidence and intelligence.

Arkasha himself is a rosy-cheeked young man who is very shy to show his joy at meeting his dad. In front of his stern and silent friend, the hero is clearly ashamed of his emotions.

Chapter III

All three are heading to Maryino, the Kirsanovs’ estate. Arkady, in a conversation with his father, mentions another characteristic of Bazarov:

I cannot express to you how much I value his friendship... His main subject is natural sciences. Yes, he knows everything.

From this conversation we learn that Bazarov is a future doctor, natural scientist, and Arkady is trying to be like his friend, admiring him very much. He even tries to hide his own joy at returning home, since his friend does not like to express emotions too much.

The collision of the spiritual and the material, or rather, poetry and medicine, occurs already in the third chapter: Nikolai Petrovich reads Pushkin’s lines by heart, which undoubtedly speaks of his subtle nature, and Bazarov simply interrupts him. The guest's rudeness will be explained by his worldview. The hero considers reading Pushkin's poems absolutely inappropriate and unnecessary.

Chapter IV

They are greeted at home by Uncle Arkady, an elderly but very well-groomed and dressed up man. He “took his beautiful hand with long pink nails from the pocket of his trousers,” but disdained to shake the guest’s red hand. He immediately hides his beautiful brush in his pocket.

This is how a conflict arises: the men did not like each other at first sight.

Chapter V

Early in the morning, Evgeny goes to the swamp with the peasant children. He urgently needed frogs as experimental material.

Arkady notices the inhabitant of the outbuilding - Fenechka, a serf girl. It turns out that she has a son from the master. The hero is glad to see his brother, but wonders why his father kept silent about such happiness.

Arkady educates relatives at the table, explaining the ethical and moral principles of his friend. He is a nihilist who takes it upon himself to deny authorities, traditional values and the generally accepted way of things.

The guest returns with a swamp catch.

Chapter VI

The unfulfilled handshake between Pavel Petrovich and Bazarov in the sixth chapter develops into mutual antipathy between the heroes. Evgeniy declares his dislike for domestic scientific authorities, and his elderly interlocutor becomes irritated. He is accustomed to the manners of the court salon, and the treatment of the young upstart is insulting to him. He especially did not like the speaker's rude and impudent voice.

In the midst of controversy, Bazarov reveals his truth:

A decent chemist is twenty times more useful than any poet.

Feeling the tension, Arkady tries to distract those present with a story about the fate of his uncle. So he wants to prevent his relative from being ridiculed, because he knows about his comrade’s bilious character and sharp tongue.

Chapter VII

Pavel Petrovich was a brilliant officer, the star of balls and evenings, welcome guest everyone chosen people. But he had the misfortune of falling in love with Princess R., retired and followed her everywhere for many years. When Princess R. died, Pavel Petrovich settled with his brother in Maryino.

The heartfelt story does not touch the main character at all; he sees weakness in this act.

He believes that “a man who has staked his whole life on a woman’s love and, when this card was killed for him, became limp and sank... is not a man.”

Confirming his nihilist worldview, he calls all this romanticism nonsense, which is useless for society, unlike medicine.

Chapter VIII

Pavel Petrovich visits Fenechka, although he usually does not honor her with such an honor. After describing the room, the author reveals the purpose of Kirsanov’s arrival: he wanted to look at seven-month-old Mitya.

In this same chapter, we plunge into the past and learn the secret of the rapprochement between Nikolai Petrovich and Fenechka, the daughter of his housekeeper. Three years ago, a man decided to show pity and took in two poor hangers-on, a mother and daughter. Not long ago, the old woman died, and the soft and timid girl began to live with the master in an illegal marriage.

Chapter IX

Bazarov skillfully handles Fenechka's baby, talking to her about Mitya's health. He is ready to provide all necessary services if the child needs a doctor.

However, Bazarov is in his repertoire: after hearing Nikolai Kirsanov play the cello, Evgeny only condemns him. Arkady is unhappy with this reaction.

Chapter X

During the two weeks of Bazarov’s stay at the Kirsanov estate, Pavel Petrovich hated Evgeniy even more, and Nikolai Petrovich often listened to his speeches and looked at interesting experiments, but, of course, I was afraid of the strange guest.

Evgeniy again becomes indignant in response to Nikolai Petrovich reading Pushkin’s poems and without hesitation calls the owner of the house a “retired man.” Then Pavel Petrovich, standing up for his brother, again faces Bazarov in a heated verbal battle. Bazarov says that “denial is the most useful,” but does not meet with support from the Kirsanovs.

And Nikolai Petrovich, recalling his misunderstanding with his mother, begins to compare this situation with his son Arkady.

Chapter XI

Nikolai Petrovich is nostalgic: he remembers his wife, involuntarily compares her with Fenechka, but understands that his deceased wife was much better. His thoughts become increasingly sentimental, and he suffers from the knowledge that young people would judge him for being soft and sensitive.

Bazarov offers his friend Arkady a trip to the city: Evgeniy’s old friend lives there.

Chapter XII

As suggested by Bazarov in the previous chapter, he and Arkady went to meet Evgeniy's student. Separate lines are devoted to a description of the city, where they finally meet a fussy man - Sitnikov, who considered himself a follower of Bazarov. The heroes also meet an official from St. Petersburg, Kolyazin, and the governor, which was facilitated by the connections of Arkady’s father.

Sitnikov invites the arriving heroes to Kukshina. He himself calls her an emancipated, progressive woman.

Chapter XIII

Together with the characters, the reader gets to know Kukshina as a caricature of a woman who considers herself educated and progressive. However, during the conversation the girl is not particularly interested in the answers of her guests, she only carries on meaningless conversations, which explains some of the discomfort of Arkady and Bazarov in her company.

For the first time, an important name will appear in the work - Anna Sergeevna Odintsova, who will subsequently play a significant role in the life of the main character.

Chapter XIV

Thanks to his father’s connections, Arkady and his friend come to the governor’s ball, where Nikolai Petrovich’s son meets. This sweet, young, rich landowner learns from her interlocutor about his friend. The girl is intrigued and asks both young men to come visit her.

Bazarov is impressed by Anna Sergeevna.

He said that “she has such shoulders as I have not seen for a long time.”

So, he decides that a trip to her is a good idea, and the men intend to pay a visit without keeping them waiting.

Chapter XV

Arkady and Bazarov go to meet her, and then the girl makes an even greater impression on Evgeny.

The reader is told the story of Anna Sergeevna's enrichment and widowhood: after she received her education in St. Petersburg, her bankrupt father dies, and out of despair she accepts the offer of Odintsov, a wealthy elderly landowner. However, her husband dies six years later, and Anna Sergeevna is left with his fortune.

A frequent topic in the conversation between Anna and Evgeniy is science. The characters quickly become close, they are interested in communicating. At the end of the meeting, Anna Odintsova invited the heroes to her estate.

Chapter XVI

Odintsova introduces the men to her sister Katya.

Bazarov lectures those around him, declaring that all people are built the same, their organs are identical, just like what a person proudly calls inner world. All moral illnesses come from society and its errors, so it is enough to correct it so that there are no more illnesses.

The author describes Odintsova. This is a devastated and indifferent person. She thought she wanted everything, but in reality she wanted nothing. She had no prejudices, but she also had no attachments as such.

Chapter XVII

The friends stayed at Odintsova’s estate (Nikolskoye) for about fifteen days. Bazarov considered love stupidity, and “knightly feelings are something like ugliness or illness.” However, he noted with indignation that he himself was falling into Anna’s snare. He felt too good alone with this lady. However, Arkady found his ideal in Katerina.

In the same chapter, Bazarov meets his father's manager. He tells him that Evgeniy’s parents are worried about his delay and have been waiting for their son.

Chapter XVIII

By the eighteenth chapter, the former Evgeny may not be recognizable: Bazarov, who denies all romanticism or recognizes love as nonsense, realizes his feelings for Anna Odintsova.

The man explains to the woman, but she rejects him. The peace of a lonely life is more valuable to her. Evgeniy, despondent, goes to his parents' estate.

Chapter XIX

The heroes leave Odintsova to visit their parents. The changes in Evgenia are noticed not only by the reader, but also by his friend Arkady: his friend has become too busy.

Having seen off the guests, Anna Sergeevna still hopes that the conversation with Bazarov will take place again in the near future, although they parted very coldly.

Chapter XX

Friends come to visit Evgeniy's parents. Turgenev describes the delight of the character’s parents associated with the long-awaited arrival of their son, although they tried to be a little more restrained, knowing full well about Evgeniy’s worldview.

Bazarov has not seen his parents for three years, and despite this, he is in no hurry to devote even an hour of conversation to his father. He complains about being tired from the road, goes to spend the night, but does not close his eyes.

Chapter XXI

Less than a week has passed when Evgeniy decides to leave. In the bosom of the family, Bazarov thinks that everything is distracting him, and, although Arkady tries to convey to his friend how wrong this is, Evgeny stands his ground.

We are presented with the dark thoughts of the main character:

I didn’t break myself, so the woman won’t break me.

Of course, the hero’s parents were absolutely not happy with their son’s decision to leave so soon. They grieved, barely daring to reveal their annoyance.

Chapter XXII

The heroes come back to Maryino, where they are welcome.

However, Arkady is not so easy to sit still. After some time, he leaves for the city again, unable to get past Nikolskoye, where he was wonderfully received by Anna and her sister. Meanwhile, Evgeniy plunges headlong into medicine, trying to recover from the fervor of love.

Chapter XXIII

Bazarov realizes where and why Arkady is going after all, and grins at his excuses. But Evgeniy himself prefers to focus on work.

The only person in the Kirsanov estate for whom Bazarov still has a positive attitude is Fenechka. She saw in him common man, so she wasn’t ashamed of him as she was with the gentlemen. Even under Nikolai Petrovich she did not feel so calm and free. The doctor was always happy to talk about her baby.

Once Bazarov kissed a girl, but Pavel Petrovich accidentally caught this scene.

Chapter XXIV

Then the old man takes a desperate step: he challenges the young guest to a duel. He does not reveal the true motive, but insults Evgeniy, stating bluntly that he is superfluous here. The aristocrat in him despises this rude and uncouth lout.

The duel does not turn out to be fatal for any of the characters, but it is not without casualties, and Bazarov shoots his opponent in the leg. However, like a real doctor, he immediately provides Uncle Arkady with medical assistance.

After the incident, Evgeniy goes to his family, and his rival asks his brother to marry Fenechka. Previously, he opposed unequal marriage, but now he realized its necessity.

Chapter XXV

Arkady was always in the shadow of his older comrade, blindly imitated him and repeated his words. But after meeting Katya, everything changed. The girl pointed out to the gentleman that he was much kinder and nicer without Bazarov. This is the real him.

On the way, Evgeny stops by Nikolskoye, meets a friend and tells him that without him, Bazarov had completely broken up with his relatives.

Chapter XXVI

Katya and Arkady are in love, the young people exchanged confessions. The young man asks her consent to marry him. Excited and romantic Katya agrees to Arkady's proposal.

You and I were mistaken... at first we interested each other, curiosity was aroused, and then...” - “and then I ran out of steam,” Bazarov answers her.

Evgeny leaves forever: both his friend and his beloved woman are lost to him forever.

Chapter XXVII

The hero comes to the family. There is a bad rumor about him in the village, people do not understand his scholarship, the people are alien to his denial, although he himself sincerely believed that they supported him.

This self-confident Bazarov had no idea that in their eyes he was something of a fool.

Evgeniy was in apathy and abandoned science. He only helped his father treat the surrounding people. But even this was not possible for him. During the autopsy, he cut himself and contracted typhus. He knows that death awaits him. Now he asks for one thing - to send for Anna.

He confided his feelings to the visiting guest, complaining that no one needed him, that people did not understand and did not accept him, but he wanted to be useful to society. And so I couldn’t.

Chapter XXXVIII (Epilogue)

All the couples got married: Nikolai Petrovich took Fenechka as his wife, Arkady took Katya as his wife. Even Anna marries a smart but cold man who matches her completely.

In the last lines of the work, Turgenev describes a grave in a rural cemetery, where only an elderly couple often comes to see their beloved son.

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