THEME OF A PERFECT WORLD IN NOVEL BY I. A. GONCHAROV “OBLOMOV”

Sarkisyan D.S.

Belgorod State University

THEME OF A PERFECT WORLD IN NOVEL BY I. A. GONCHAROV “OBLOMOV”

Summary

This article talks about the ideal world of the hero, eternity as one of the fundamental elements of the ideological model of the novel by I. A. Goncharov «Oblomov». The causes of Oblomov’s detachment and images of the cave, mirror and stone are analyzed. We came to the conclusion that Oblomov’s dream of an ideal world, realized in the house of Agafya Pshenitsyna, has more positive connotation within the context than negative. We have a deeper understanding of the motivation of Oblomov’s actions and more accurately described his mentality.

Keywords: underworld; Oblomovka; removal; typing

Images created by Goncharov, have long acquired the status of typical. About his desire for typification the writer himself told F. M. Dostoevsky in one of his letters: «By types I mean something very indigenous – long and permanently installed forming sometimes several generations» [2, p.413]. The image of Oblomov has long acquired the status of a typical phenomenon. The hero ceases to be only a literary character.

His name identifies a certain behavior of people. Trying to show the landowner removed from life, Goncharov and couldn’t imagine that many years later Oblomov will compare to L. I. Brezhnev [14, p. 2], to draw Parallels with a huge number of people and even to mention in movies. Disputes about who such Oblomov – hero positive or negative? – they’re still going on. That for him life? Does it make sense? Was it Stolz’s death? – eternal and may not have a clear answer questions. Eternity as such and its understanding by Ilya Ilyich Oblomov will be the subject of this study, in which a special role was played by the works of literary critics E. A. Krasnoshchekova [5], V. A. Nedzvetsky [8], M. V. Stroganov [10], as well as the works of K. G. Jung [12].

The novel begins with a description of the house on Gorokhovaya street. «In Gorokhovaya street, in one of the big houses, population which would be for the whole County town, was lying in bed in the morning, in his apartment, Ilya Ilyich Oblomov» [1, p. 7]. Element occupancies immediately identified as important. Large crowds of people become something repulsive, extraneous. Oblomov, receiving guests in his apartment, deliberately pulls away and, as if to the word, says approaching him a brilliant young man the FOP Volkov: «stay back you cold!»[Ibid., p. 19]. The second visitor, a former colleague of Ilya Ilyich, Sudbinski awarded exactly the same greeting: «stay back, stay back!

You’re cold!»[Ibid., p. 22]. It is known that the action of the novel begins in early may, so the argument of the removal of bad weather is out of the question.

Thus, it is appropriate to talk about the cold is not external and not even about the cold repulsion (otherwise Oblomov would not talk to the guests, but simply could refer to the malaise), and the cold detachment.

Ilya Ilyich as if specially separates himself from the world outside the room. And the cold becomes an additional motivator of what is happening: none of the guests are not puzzled by the problems of Oblomov. All of them only their personal experiences and life difficulties are important. The rest is none of their business.

Cold acts here as the cold intercourse, cold souls, not capable of ordinary human warmth. Perhaps that is why Oblomov takes tarantyev, a rude and greedy man. In contrast from Volkov, Sudbinskih, Alekseev and Penkina, Terentiev immediately delves into the problems of Ilya Ilyich offers a way to solve them. In the first Chapter Oblomov more need a listener, not an assistant, because what to do and how to do, in principle, he knows himself. About its remoteness from visitors Oblomov tells Stolz. On this occasion, E. A. Krasnoshchekova wrote: «Confessing to a friend, Ilya Ilyich continued denunciation of St. Petersburg society, started in the first part («parade of guests»), but now the hero goes further and the vices of reality justifies his life choice: escape from the «world» on the sofa, the rejection of any activity (the position of «absent»)» [5, c. 135].

The space of the novel is divided into the world «here» and the world «there». And the exit from the world «here» to the world «there» is impossible for ideological reasons of Ilya Ilyich. St. Petersburg society with its bustle and endless stream of everyday problems causes him rejection. And therefore no coincidence that the dream of Oblomov, in which the hero finds himself in another reality, the ideal for him.

  1. V. Pyrkov, talking about sleep Oblomov wrote: «the Famous dream that sees Oblomov is, if you look, his cherished ancestral meta, is what helps him to remain himself – always» [9, p.7].

Oblomovka is very similar to the St. Petersburg apartment of Ilya Ilyich not in terms of external, but in terms of internal. This is a world hidden somewhere far away from the capital cities, living its own, special life.

The sky in Oblomovka «closer clinging to the land, but not to throw stronger arrows, but only to hug her tight, with love: it is spread so low over his head, as a parent reliable roof, to protect it, think a chosen area from all sorts of adversity. The sun there is bright and hot shining about six months and then deleted from there, not suddenly, definitely reluctantly, as if turns back to look again or two on favorite place and provide him autumn, among bad weather, clear, warm day» [1, sec. 99]. As applied to the mythological worldview, M. Eliade said: «the Sung past is more than just previous to the present: it is its source» [11, c. 122].

The monotony of events occurring in nature is smoothly transmitted to the inhabitants of Oblomovka, whose life is just as leisurely. The magical beginning hidden in the Oblomov world allows us to interpret it as an otherworldly reality. And it can be reached only by magic – through a dream. And this the fundamental reality is its closeness. As noted by M. V. Stroganov, «the inhabitants of Oblomovka they live in a limited world, so their knowledge of what lies beyond it is based on speculation and fantasies» [10, p. 40]. Even the most minor events through which contact can be made with the surrounding world, cause rejection: «Once only the monotony of their life was broken already truly by accident. When, relaxing after a hard lunch, everyone gathered for tea, suddenly came vorotitsya from the city Oblomov man, and so he got, took out of his pocket, finally found it hard to get a crumpled letter in the name of Ilya Ivanovich Oblomov. Everyone was stunned; even the hostess has changed a bit in the face; the eyes of all the rushed and noses stretched out toward the letter,» [1, p. 133]. The recipe for Oblomov beer remained unknown to Mr. Radishchev.

The harmony of Oblomov’s being is achieved only with the help of detachment and is embodied in it. The eternal value and meaning of life proclaims the current order of things without the possibility of anything transform. A world limited by spatial boundaries does not allow for change. Even time gains a distinctive feature: it is, after the inhabitants of the «magical world», slowly and slowly.

The purpose of the inhabitants of Oblomovka is the desire to preserve everything that is here and now. Herewith progress is perceived as extremely hostile, as a beginning not developing, but destroying. And if Oblomovka is enclosed in spatial borders, the room on Gorokhovaya street is delimited by closed curtains. As addition serves the legendary Bathrobe Oblomova, performs the same function – close or hide.

Arguing about space in the novel, VA Nedzvetsky argued that Oblomov throughout the novel with Olga rises, while after the break – falls down [8, p. 56]. The result of the descent can to make the conversation Stolz with Oblomov. Andrey calls the house of Agatha Pshenitsyna pit, that is, the lower part, where the downward movement is no longer possible. Yama takes on a special meaning in the context of the novel. Deliberate darkening of the room is not accidental. Oblomov if trying to hide from the world. While looking for the most dark places. In this regard, it is appropriate to talk about the symbol of the cave and the specifics of its implementation in the novel.

In the novel, the image of the cave is expressed implicitly. The cave has several symbolic meanings. C. G. Jung, speaking about the revival, he spoke about the cave as one of the symbols of transformation. He wrote: «Cave – the place of rebirth, a secret room in which a person is placed in order for incubation and renewal to take place» [12, p. 275]. Apartment Oblomova his detachment from the rest of the world reminds just a cave with all its characteristic features: a dark room, hidden from the sun. It’s like would is in another world, in which not pervades coming spring. Dust is not accidental – there is desolation. A book opened on one page does not change its position. A plate of leftovers it stays where it was left. «On the walls, near the paintings, was molded in the form of festoons web, saturated with dust; mirrors, instead of reflecting objects, could serve more as tablets for writing on them, on dust, some notes for memory. The carpets were stained. On the couch there was a forgotten towel; on the table a rare morning there was a plate not removed from yesterday’s dinner with a salt shaker and with a gnawed bone and bread crumbs did not roll. If it were not for this plate, and not leaning against the bed just smoked pipe, or not the owner himself, lying on it, it would be possible to think that nobody lives here, so all dusty, faded and generally was devoid of live tracks human presence» [1, p. 9].

  1. Mel compares Oblomov’s room with a casket: «the casket Room, where everything is covered with dust and cobwebs – is a cocoon of the Oblomov caterpillar, swaddled also in the cocoon of its robe» [7, p. 31]. Goncharov pays special attention to the description of «lifelessness» of the room. Can be traced not only desolation, but also immobility.

Of particular importance is the image of a mirror covered with dust. The dictionary of symbols States that the mirror «was a reflection of the divine word and a means of its interpretation»; «Perfect creations – these are mirrors directed to the Light, and the mirror itself is a reflection of the inner life» [4, p. 138].

After a conversation with Zakhar Oblomov suddenly thinks about himself and his place in the world. «Why? am I?»[1, p. 97] — asks himself Oblomov. This question was prepared by comparing yourself with other people. «He delved into comparing himself with another» [Ibid, p. 98]. World apartments on Gorokhovaya street its immobility and immutability reminds Oblomovka. As in a mirror, Oblomov’s dream reflects his real life. The entrance to the magic world of Oblomovka is only possible through a magical effect, i.e. through the rite of initiation. Passing into the world of Oblomovka, Ilya Ilyich sees his past, which has become the basis of the present. In fact, Goncharov depicts a kind of palimpsest: the past, not completely forgotten, is restored in a new way in the present. And if the participants and circumstances have changed, the essence it remains the same: nothing should disturb the real estate of the world, everything should be as it was.

The image of the cave assumes the process of a temporary stop, after which the update should begin. The update begins with the appearance of Stolz and subsequent departures from the house. This is followed by rapprochement with Olga, the emergence of feelings and the subsequent gap. The period of the revival of Oblomov, his transition from the former state to the new, is impossible after moving to the apartment of Agafya Pshenitsyna. Life passive and detached, according to Ilya Ilyich himself, is not an ideal for him. But at the same time the ideal grows out of such a life. Changing your way of life, Oblomov would be forever excluded from your future ideal of the family, which said Stoltz. Jung wrote: «Recreating the original state is tantamount to trying once again to feel the freshness of youth» [12, p. 276].

On the Vyborg side of Oblomov finds happiness of family life. The path to this happiness was founded in Oblomov the mind in Oblomovka his parents. Permanence as an ideal is made possible in an unchanged the world of the Vyborg side, more reminiscent of his detachment of the cave. The past became the present. The path to an ideal world only confirmed the inevitability of achieving Oblomov his goal: eternal the development, which sought to Olga, can not be eternal, because it denies the very essence of eternity, the immutable. She becomes a mentor for Oblomov. «She instantly weighed her power over him, and she liked this role of a guiding star» [1, p. 231]. But Oblomov didn’t need a guiding star. He wanted about no way. At the beginning of the novel, talking about his place in the world, Oblomov comes to disappointing conclusions. «He was sad and hurt for his underdevelopment, a stop in the growth of moral forces, for the heaviness that hindered everything; and envy gnawed at him, that others so fully and widely live, and at him as if a heavy stone is thrown on the narrow and miserable path of its existence» [Ibid, p. 96].

Despite all efforts Olha, Oblomov so and not managed to change himself and its the prevailing worldview, where there is no room reality, only dreams. «Ilya Ilyich’s lying down as a normal state is the embodiment of his resignation, condemning the reality replaced the dream» [6, p.10]. A fragment of the old world, unable to accept the development of St. Petersburg society, Ilya Ilyich remains true to his aspirations.

On the Vyborg side, he gets the desired: Oblomov the world is almost exactly reproduced in the house of Agatha Wheat. E. Milton wrote about the duplication of the situation of the Wreckage on the Vyborg side: «Roman describes the full circle, from dream to dream, from idyll to idyll, from momentary vision of the lost Paradise to its immediate implementation» [13, p. 224]. About the ideological proximity of Oblomovka and the Vyborg side Goncharov wrote in a letter to I. I. Lkhovsky: «the Action is already taking place on the Vyborg side: it is necessary to portray this Vyborg Oblomovka, the last love of the hero and the futile efforts of a friend to Wake him» [2, p. 370].

Eternity was something special for Goncharov himself. «You are motionless, silent, thrilled before the rainbow traces of the sun: it is a hot farewell ray irritates the nerves of the eyes, but you are immersed in the fog of poetic thought; you do not look away; you do not want to get out of this mania, from the bliss of rest. Waking up, with a sigh say to yourself: Oh, if only always and everywhere such was nature, just as hot and so majestic and deeply calm! If only life were like that!.. Because of the storm, the frenzied passion not the norm of nature and life, but only a transitional moment, disorder and evil, the process of creativity, black work – for dressing peace and happiness in the laboratory of nature…», – the writer reasoned in the » Frigate «Pallada»» [3, p. 105].

Eternity in a novel is immutability. The Vyborg side becomes the embodiment of Oblomov’s dream: there is no fuss, chaotic movement, nothing that could disturb the peace of the hero. Maybe it is in the house of Agafya Pshenitsyna Goncharov depicted the ideal world to which everyone should strive, a world where stability reigns and where happiness is built not for years, but for ever.

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