A Desperate Character

by Ivan Turgenev

A DESPERATE CHARACTER AND OTHER TALES is a collection of Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev's stories that spans his career. The six tales were written between 1847 and 1881. "Pyetushkov" (1847), "The Brigadier" (1867), "A Strange Story" (1869), "Punin and Baburin" (1874), "Old Portraits" (1881), and "A Desperate Character" (1881) are a showcase of the classic Russian stylist's work and a study in Russian lyrical fatalism, idealism, and a struggle with issues of will and aspirations.

Genres: Short Stories, Collections, Classics, Russian Literature, Fiction

Unknown Binding

First published August 9, 2015

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Keely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Without sounding like a broken clock Turgenev once again delivers a powerful character analysis here. This time we follow an alcoholic character who gives in to desperation. It astounds me how Turgenev can create such a complex character and complex relationships in just 30 or 40 pages. No one is better at this particular brand of Russian realism.

It is a shame Turgenev isn't more well known as I think his works are a great place to start for readers who may be scared of tackling the Russians.

[Anatoly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Desperate Character by Ivan S. Turgenev — Review

A story “A Desperate Character” by Ivan S. Turgenev is about a man who went out of his frame, went out of the way of life of his parents.

He sold his estate, spent his money and his life went down. Maybe he didn’t have enough attention from his parents, maybe it was because of specific features of his character.

What can save a person who is burning his life and whether something can save him … - the reader can see after reading this story.

Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://americanliterature.com/author...

[Paul Jellinek · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's just a fabulous writer, and he makes his world--19th century Russia--come alive.