Fathers and Sons

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Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev: Fathers and Sons (2020, Independently Published)

English language

Published May 16, 2020 by Independently Published.

ISBN:
978-1-6540-8474-5
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4 stars (1 review)

21 editions

Fathers and Sons by Turgenev: Portrait of a self-proclaimed Nihilist

4 stars

Fathers and Sons by Turgenev (Richard Freeborn translation) is an interesting character study of Bazarov, a self-proclaimed nihilist in the backdrop of the ideological differences between the “fathers” and “sons”. The “fathers” and “sons” in the title refer to the two different generations of the liberals and the nihilists, respectively. The ideological differences between the two generations, as depicted through the clash between Bazarov and Pavel, constitutes one of the major themes of the novel. It also looks at the inevitability of the generational gap between the sons (Bazarov and Arkady) and their respective fathers, and the futility of trying to reject emotions.

The book is short and has a very simple plot. It opens with Nikolai Petrovich awaiting his son Arkady's return from university, whom he receives accompanied by his friend, Bazarov who aspires to be a country doctor. It soon becomes clear that both youngsters subscribe to the …