The Historical Value of Turgenev's Fathers and Sons with Gogol's Inspector General - Essay Example

COMPARE THE HISTORICAL VALUE OF TURGENEVS "FATHERS AND SONS" WITH GOGOLS "INSPECTOR GENERAL" Compare the historical value of Turgenevs "fathers and sons" with Gogols "inspector general" Fathers and Sons is a fiction book written by Turgenev. This book relates the fake and fragile Russian system and the generational gap that existed in Russian society in 19th century. Every character in this book represents a significant facet of the Russian society. For instance, Petrovich is viewed as the old slavopile nobility impressed with the notion that the Russians and their culture is the best in the world while they speak French and wear English clothes. His brother represents the gap that exists between the new and the old world, trying to adapt to the society while he tries to comprehend the old customs and attitudes. Arcady is another character that represents the new trends in society and beliefs systems in society. Barazov, is portrayed in the book as the young star, therefore, he represents the youth in Russian society with fresh ideas and new ways of doing things, but who are blinded by their naïve hypocrisy. The author of this book vividly describes every aspect of Russian society by giving detailed information about the peasants, government officials, corruption, conventions, and cast withering. On the other hand, the government inspector written by Nikolai Gogol was first published in 1836. The author’s main of writing this book is centered on portraying human greed, deep corruption of societal powers and human stupidity in Russian society. This book looked at the lampooned corrupt government offices. In the Russian history, the “Fathers and sons” by Turgenev and “Inspector general” by Gogol, have outlined historical issues in Russian society in a similar way. The two books have also been contrasted through the characters, themes and the historical allusions. In the novel “Fathers and sons,” the author shows the difference between two generations of life. This book was written to counter the budding cultural schism in Russia from 1830s to 40s. During this time, there were cultural differences between the liberals and the growing nihilist uprising. In the other book, the “Inspector general,” the author has focused on mistaken identity committed in the Russian society. These two books have common similarities and differences, which have been asserted through the mode of translation, the author’s concerns, the cultural and historical differences especially in history and literature. Change is the main concern in the two books. In the ‘Fathers and sons’, Turgenev addresses the interest in change with the aim of addressing intergenerational differences in the Russian society. Life’s hyperbole and the balance between the text and the contemporary issues in society is the author’s main concern. In addition, his work is highly topical as it universally appeals the elegance of love. The author also deals with love versus psychology, which has been acutely portrait by the author. While on the other hand, the government inspector hinges on a mistaken identity. Hlestakov is mistaken for being a highly ranking government inspector by the provincial town members. The government fears the visit of the government inspector because of their corruption cases that have torn the Russian society apart. Apart from the government official, the town’s governor is not at peace with the inspector’s visit. Hlestalkov gives the tales about his bribing ways as a high-ranking government official. He does this by elaborating on the misconception that the town people held before (Harrower 2011). The government inspector majorly ridicules the way corruption has damaged Russian bureaucracy. In this Russian drama about life, corruption, and human deception are vividly explored. The governor addresses the audience by asking what they were laughing at when he talks about corruption. He refers to the citizens as laughing at themselves showing how government official lacked respect to people. This is analyzed in the play’s epigraph, which asserts that one has to be blamed for cause of crooked face. On the other hand, in the fathers and sons, the author introduces double characters, Bazarov and Arcady that possesses different traits (Turgenev 1965). The two characters oppose each other in a more nihilistic manner in their emotions. Bazarov shows his love for Madame Odintsova and Fenichka and this shows deep emotion through the characters, which brings the need for care and concern to other people. The other character portrays a picture of carelessness and lack of respect to humanity just to show how indiscipline has taken root in Russian society. Ivan Turgenev is the most ranked democratic and western author in the republic of Russia who embraced the Russian literature in an insightful manner. This novel is the most accessible Russian novel. His novel was attacked and opposed by other Russian authors like Leo Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky as he was progressing in a liberal manner in the western mode of literature (Harrower 2011). Furthermore, he was criticized for failure to create a forceful and a dedicated radical hero. In the comedy, “The inspector general” by Nikolai Gogol, has become a stepping-stone for the Russian literature. Through his writings, Gogol influenced other writers after him while portraying the real picture of the Russian history. This is evident from the writings of other Russian writers who asserted that Gogol was the best Russian writer during that time. Apocryphal and Dostoevsky seconds the fact that the other writings in Russia arose from his. In the novel “Fathers and sons,” it opens up the young Arcady together with his friend Bazarov on their way home. He decides to visit Arcady’s father who is Nikolai Petrovitch Kirsanov. Nikolai lives in a declining estate together with Nikolai’s brother, Paul and his young mistress. Nikolai was a well-established aristocrat. This visitation took place during the liberation of the serfs in 1860. This was very different to Bazarov who was a nihilist. According to Bazarov, he was willing to destroy the structure of the existing society and begin afresh in life because the society lacked morals. Through his arguments, he foreshadowed the Russia’s bloody future that had to occur in order to get liberation (Turgenev 1965). According to Barazov, aristocracy, progress, liberalism and principles are foreign and useless words in the minds of many Russians. He asserts that for the thinkers beyond logic, humanity virtues are very vital human aspects in developing society. In his statement, he asks the masses the need for logic and if it really matters in their lives. He linked logic to taking a piece of bread into one’s mouth and refutes the idea that in scooping a piece of bread into the mouth does not require logic abstractions. His sentiments were highly countered by Petrovich who thought of his speech as being quite insulting. He blamed Barazov for not recognizing and acknowledging the set principles and rules that ought to guide society (Harrower 2011). Barazov defended his position and argued that people only act by the virtue of what they recognize as useful only. He alludes to denial as the useful thing that numerous Russians have and they follow their mind and deny. He further claims that the thought was not just appalling in poetry and art but it applied to all the other subjects. In their talks, Pavel remained devastated and did not comment after Bolazovic’s argument. On the other hand, ‘Another inspector’, it seems that the comment that the author refers to as ‘the overcoat’ and ‘the nose’ are presumptuous comments. The type of language in the book is not conformed to any mode of language presentation. In his work, there are more than one form that is recognized, that is one may be comic, tragic and either the two literary works can be contained in both the personified objects. According to Gogol, ‘the nose’ in Russian literature, refers to a delicious comedy that condemns the pomposity and the obsession with the relevant rank that is prevalent in Russia. For instance, it becomes very easy to imagine characters like Charlie Chaplin who are involved in the play where Collegiate Assessor discovers that his nose is missing from a deep sleep (Harrower 2011). Therefore, he is forced to request a mirror to confirm the pimple, which appeared on his nose the previous evening. He is surprised to find out that he lacked the nose and had a flat surface instead. This poses a discussion to find out who the man was. This makes Gogol’s work a profound rich source of literature that can distance the writer from his material to satisfy the intense satirical thrust. In the book, the narrator is brought as serious character but this is later dismissed as the story unfolds. In the ‘Father and the sons’, two young men are unequal due to political standards that are unyielding when they fell in love. They therefore tried as much as possible to retain their façade but in vain. Bazarov smiles and he states that the troubles which people experience is not directly proportional to the worthiness it has. Therefore, it is true to state that all people in the world have similar soul and body therefore they deserve to be treated equally not like the inequality that existed in the Russian society. Furthermore, every individual has brain, the heart and lungs that are similar to each other. Morally all human beings are similar as the difference between the two is insignificant (Harrower 2011). Therefore, we judge human beings from one specimen who may act to represent all the others. Summarily, the Russian writers have foreshadowed the Russian history in respect to the modern society. The authors have analyzed the major concerns in a more profound manner. The two books, ‘the father and son’ and ‘the government inspector’ have similarities and differences that have been described in this paper. The paper has analyzed how the two different authors tried to bring out their characters, which reflect the Russian literature in both content and history. The two authors have tried to bring out the foundation for the Russian literature and it portrayed history of the Russian republic. Turgenev reveals struggles that exist within families in his book since he tries to explain in detail what it means to someone’s child or parent. This novel is not good for those parents seeking moral guidance because it highlights whereby children are disrespectful and revolt against their families or parents. On the other hand, Gogol laid down the establishment or foundation of the 19th century Russian realism with his book that criticized government injustices and he aims to emancipate his fellow citizens from abuses. Bibliography Turgenev, Ivan. Fathers and Sons (Penguin Classics). New York: Penguin classics, 1965. Harrower, David. Gogols Government Inspector. New York: Faber and Faber Publisher, 2011. Read More