يضم المجلد الثاني من (المؤلفات المختارة) لتورغينيف روايتين هما (رودين) (1856)، و (عش النبلاء) (1859) وفيهما حصيلة تأملات الكاتب لحقبة الثلاثينات والأربعينات من القرن التاسع عشر. و (رودين) - الرواية الأولى لتورغينيف - تتحدث عن المثقفين النبلاء لأعوام 1830-1840 ، أولئك الذين لم يجدوا لهم قضية ومكانا في الحياة ، لأنهم لم يستطيعوا أن يهادنوا الواقع المعاصر لهم، ويطرح تورغينيف قضية الأهمية الإجتماعية لهؤلاء الناس من مثل رودين ، ودورهم في تاريخ الفكر الإجتماعي الروسي. تتمحور رواية (عش النبلاء)حول قصة حب عميق في مأساويته. وهي في الوقت ذاته رواية عن الواجب الخلقي، والإيثار، والسعادة، ومغزى الحياة.
Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (Cyrillic: Иван Сергеевич Тургенев) was a novelist, poet, and dramatist, and now ranks as one of the towering figures of Russian literature. His major works include the short-story collection A Sportsman’s Sketches (1852) and the novels Rudin (1856), Home of the Gentry (1859), On the Eve (1860), and Fathers and Sons (1862).
These works offer realistic, affectionate portrayals of the Russian peasantry and penetrating studies of the Russian intelligentsia who were attempting to move the country into a new age. His masterpiece, Fathers and Sons, is considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century.
Turgenev was a contemporary with Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy. While these wrote about church and religion, Turgenev was more concerned with the movement toward social reform in Russia.
„Natalia nu stătea de vorbă cu Rudin ca o copilă; ea îi asculta cu nesaț cuvintele, se străduia să le pătrundă înțelesul, își supunea ideile și îndoielile judecății lui; el era mentorul, călăuza ei. Deocamdată, Nataliei îi clocotea numai mintea… dar un cap tânăr nu clocotește multă vreme doar el singur. Ce dulci clipe petrecea Natalia atunci când, așa cum se-ntâmpla, în grădină, pe bancă, în umbra diafană și discontinuă a unui frasin, Rudin începea să îi citească din Faust de Goethe, din Hoffman, sau scrisorile Bettinei, sau din Novalis, oprindu-se tot timpul și deslușindu-i ceea ce i se părea a fi neclar pentru ea! Ea vorbea prost germana, ca mai toate domnișoarele noastre, dar o înțelegea bine, iar Rudin era fascinat de poezia germană, de lumea romantică și filozofică germană, și o atrăgea pe acele tărâmuri tainice. Misterioase, minunate, ele se deschideau în fața privirii ei atente; din paginile cărții pe care Rudin o ținea în mână, râuri de figuri încântătoare, de idei noi și luminoase pătrundeau reverberând în sufletul și în inima ei ce fremăta de nobila bucurie a simțămintelor înalte și, pe tăcute, se isca și se aprindea divina scânteie a extazului…”
It has a sort of freshness often seen in youths that still want to play more than work. It also has a quiet wisdom of the old, sprinkled with some frivolous maturity.
Such talent and dedication! Turgheniev is clearly unique and well deserving of all the praise I heard!
What more can I say? I only have one complaint: why Lavretsky cannot be happy ? WHY??? I really learned to love his character...although he has his flaws (even old friends complain about those!..I really appreciated seeing this serene self-consciousness both on page as in the writer!) We got to see practically all his life...decisions, mistakes, moments of happiness and sorrow, and mostly...how he was a victim of his noble status...which is quite refreshing! Rarely an author paints the peasant and the noble as just humans with a path in life....most spend time in showing how one's deserving of his position(be it fortunate or punishment). This WAS a realistic portrait of Russia. Yes, they questioned why they play a fixed role in life and others always seem to be happier...but lets face it...this happens all the time! It's human nature. But our own problems, our own shortcomings It's human nature. But our own problems, our own shortcoming feel more important...and they are.
Besides Lavrestky and Liza(again...WHY???) I truly enjoyed the old aunt...Marfa Timofeevna. She was something else entirely! Wisdom and fire...truly a memorable character. The others are as well real and alive on page...but my preferences were evident.
So yes, this story is simple and short, not stepping outside society's constrictions and beliefs, but manages to resonate centuries down the line in people like me and you...
In the end..I still ponder the title of this nuvela...really...maybe it means just a home, a place outside time that sees every soul that comes to pass.
Enjoy.
"Rudin" 4 stars!
The short description on the back of my volume says exactly what Rudin is all about: an idealistic intellectual, an amazing orator, a magnetic figure for everyone around...but ultimately...a man with nothing to say, nothing to show....just a never-ending string of discussions, elegies and more words to say.
Although I don't think this story is as good as "Home of the Gentry", "Rudin" manages to impart to us exactly what's important...live and do something! Live a mark, stay true to yourself and don't try to impress the air around you!
It's short and bittersweet. Especially towards the ending, but true and simple. This a recurring theme with Turgheniev...or at least this is what I feel...I need to read more, but yes, TRUE AND SIMPLE.
Dmitri Nikolaici Rudin is painted in all kinds of colors by all the others: for Daria Mihailovna - an intelectual, for Mihailo Mihailici Lejnev - an enigma, for Alexandra Pavlovna - a poor soul, for Serghei Volintev and Natalia Alekseevna - a struggle. Others are cynical and confused by him. Let me say I REALLY LOVED the ending! Everyone's life is as it should be...for a moment there I though the author will be evil and hurt me, but, thank God, he wasn't!
This shows what we value before and after we meet people, what we seek and what we tend to say we need...it all feels like a life lesson...Do not be Rudin!
Un cuib de nobili/Home of the gentry: I love the way Turgenev paints the portraits of his characters, both the way he directly describes them and indirectly through their actions. Lavretzky is a fascinating person, as is Liza and everyone else. Every character feels so well-crafted and thought-out. The ending was sad, but I really liked the parallels between the old people and the youngsters. Turgenev is amazing at creating compelling characters that I find myself genuinely caring about, or, conversely, characters that made me extremely angry, lol.
Rudin: I didn’t like this story as much at first - I started reading it right after “Home of the gentry” and had yet to destress - but it quickly caught my attention. Many of the characters are so charming (I love Lejnev and Aleksandra Pavlovna), and Turgenev has a great talent at writing melodramatic situations. I could not put the book down during the second half, it was like I was watching a soap opera. The ending took me aback, it felt a little out of nowhere, but, nonetheless, it’s a very good story.
Turgenev cemented himself as one of my all time favourite authors. He is so good at writing drama and entertaining narratives, as well as colourful, charming characters.