(349 words) Roman I.S. Turgenev immerses the reader in a certain era in the history of the Russian Empire in the second half of the nineteenth century. In it, in addition to the historical types and social trends of those years, things like reflection about the meaning of life, the search for truth and the place of man in the universal world order were reflected. In this regard, time plays a huge role in the work, which both creates the problems of mankind and solves them.
First of all, we see time as an insurmountable obstacle, an invincible wall that forever divided the generations, inflicting a monstrous blow to the whole of Russian society. On one side are the liberal Pavel Petrovich, stuck in the past, and his brother Nikolai Kirsanov, who is trying to keep up with modern trends. On the other side there is a commoner, a democrat and a nihilist Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov, unable to find his place in society, and his naive follower Arkady Kirsanov, easily carried away by any fresh ideas. These two opposite camps of “fathers” and “children” are not able to find a common language, they rely on different, completely incompatible value systems. From the very beginning, Bazarov entered into a tough conflict with the outside world, dragging Arcadius along with him. The clash with the Kirsanov brothers ends first with a verbal skirmish between Eugene and Paul, and then with a duel between them. Turgenev shows us the deep abyss created by time, between two adjacent generations. According to the writer, a society affected by such a disease is doomed. Without the connection between generations, it will destroy itself. But it is time that acts as a medicine that can heal any ailment. Throughout the novel, we see how heated political debate and irreconcilable philosophical contradictions give way to real life and sincere human emotions. The soulless cynic Bazarov falls in love with Anna Odintsova, having experienced a spiritual rebirth. Partially abandoning his nihilistic views, he sincerely reconciled with Pavel Kirsanov, who, having discarded his usual arrogance, recognized Eugene as a worthy person. Nikolai Kirsanov lived a happy life with his beloved Fenichka. Arkady also found his happiness with Katerina and improved relations with his father. Life changes heroes, pushing all human contradictions to the background.
At Turgenev, time appears as a continuous stream. No one is able to take him up, according to his uncharted laws, it both destroys entire worlds and separates people, and unites us all, reminding us that we are only people.
Embodiment of ideas
