Agafya Matveevna Pshenitsyna, the owner of the apartment that his fellow countryman, the rogue Tarantiev, found for Oblomov, is the ideal of Oblomovism in the broadest sense of the concept. She is as “natural” as Oblomov. One can say about Pshenitsyna in the same words that Stolz says to Olga about Oblomov: “... An honest, faithful heart! This is his natural gold; he carried it through life unharmed. He fell from the aftershocks, cooled down, fell asleep, finally, killed, disappointed ", having lost the strength to live, but did not lose honesty and loyalty. His heart did not emit a single false note, no dirt stuck to it... This is a crystal, transparent soul; such people are few, they are rare; these are pearls in the crowd! "
The traits that brought Oblomov closer to Pshenitsyna are clearly indicated here. Ilya Ilyich needs most of all a feeling of care, warmth, not demanding anything in return, and that is why he became attached to his mistress, as to a fulfilled dream of returning to the blessed times of a happy, well-fed and serene childhood. With Agafya Matveevna, as with Olga, there are no thoughts about the need to do anything, to somehow change the life around and in oneself. Oblomov explains his ideal to Stoltz simply, comparing Ilyinskaya with Agafya Matveevna: “...she will sing “Casta diva”, but she doesn’t know how to make vodka like that! And she won’t make a pie like that with chickens and mushrooms!” And therefore, realizing firmly and clearly that he has nowhere else to strive, he asks Stolz: “What do you want to do with me? With the world to which you are drawing me, I have fallen apart forever; you will not save, you will not make up two torn halves. I am rooted to this hole with a sore spot: try to tear it off - you will die."
In Pshenitsyna’s house, the reader sees Oblomov more and more perceiving “his real life as a continuation of the same Oblomov existence, only with a different flavor of the area and partly the time. And here, as in Oblomovka, he managed to get rid of life cheaply, bargain with her and insure yourself undisturbed peace."
Five years after this meeting with Stolz, who again pronounced his cruel sentence: “Oblomovism!” - and leaving Oblomov alone, Ilya Ilyich “died, apparently, without pain, without suffering, as if a watch had stopped and had forgotten to wind.” Oblomov's son, born Agafya Matveevna and named after his friend Andrei, is taken to be raised by the Stoltsy.
Agafya Matveevna Pshenitsina is the widow of an official, left with two children, the sister of Ivan Matveevich Mukhoyarov, Tarantiev’s godfather. It is Tarantiev who settles Oblomov, who is forced to look for a new apartment, in Pshenitsyna’s house on the Vyborg side. “She was about thirty years old. She was very white and full in the face, so that the blush, it seemed, could not break through her cheeks. She had almost no eyebrows at all, but in their place there were two slightly swollen, shiny stripes, with sparse blond hair. The eyes are grayish-simple, like the whole expression of the face; the hands are white, but hard, with large knots of blue veins protruding outward." Pshenitsina is taciturn and accustomed to living without thinking about anything: “Her face took on a practical and caring expression, even dullness disappeared when she started talking about a subject familiar to her. To every question that did not concern any positive goal known to her, she answered smile and silence." And her grin was nothing more than a form that covered up ignorance of the subject: not knowing what she should do, accustomed to the fact that “brother” decides everything, Pshenitsin achieved perfection only in the skillful management of the house. Everything else passed by the undeveloped mind for years and decades.
Almost immediately after Oblomov moves to the Vyborg side, Pshenitsyna begins to arouse a certain interest in Ilya Ilyich, which can be regarded as purely erotic (the hostess’s round white elbows constantly attract Oblomov’s attention). But the answer awaits at the end of the novel, when, shortly before his death, Ilya Ilyich has a dream where his mother, pointing to Pshenitsyna, whispers: “Militrisa Kirbityevna.” She names the name of his dream, inspired by Ilya Ilyich’s nanny’s fairy tales in early childhood.
The image of Pshenitsyna never aroused particular interest among critics of the novel: a rude, primitive nature, which they were accustomed to looking at only through the eyes of Stoltz, as a terrible woman, symbolizing the depth of Ilya Ilyich’s fall. But it is no coincidence that Goncharov gives this simple woman a name close to the name of his beloved mother - Avdotya Matveevna Goncharova, a merchant widow who lived for many years in the same house with Goncharov’s godfather, a nobleman
M N.N. Tregubov, who raised her sons and gave them an education.
Pshenitsyna is in constant motion, unlike Oblomov, realizing that “there is always work” and that it is the true content of life, and not at all a punishment, as was believed in Oblomovka. Her constantly flashing elbows attract Oblomov’s attention not only because of her beauty, but also because of the heroine’s activity, which he is not fully aware of. Outwardly, Pshenitsyna is perceived as a kind of perpetuum mobile, without thought, without a glimmer of feeling, “brother” calls her nothing more than “cow” or “horse,” seeing in her sister only free labor. “Even if you hit her, even if you hug her, she’s all grinning like a horse at oats,” he says about her to godfather Tarantiev, preparing, on the latter’s advice, to track down Pshenitsyna’s relationship with Oblomov and demand money from Ilya Ilyich “for dishonor.”
Gradually, as Oblomov realizes that he has nowhere else to strive, that it was here, in a house on the Vyborg side, that he found the desired way of life for his native Oblomovka, a serious internal change occurs in the fate of Pshenitsina herself. She finds the meaning of her existence in the constant work of arranging and caring for the house, and in the chores around the house. Something unknown to her before began to awaken in Pshenitsina: anxiety, glimmers of reflection. In other words, love, more and more deep, pure, sincere, unable to express itself in words, but manifested in what Pshenitsina knows and can do well: in caring for Oblomov’s table and clothes, in prayers for his health, in the seats nights at the bedside of the sick Ilya Ilyich. “The whole household... received a new, living meaning: the peace and comfort of Ilya Ilyich. Previously, she saw this as a duty, now it became her pleasure. She began to live in her own full and varied way... It was as if she had suddenly moved into another faith and began to profess it, not discussing what kind of faith it was, what dogmas it contained, but blindly obeying its laws.”
For Pshenitsina, Oblomov is a person from another world: she has never seen such people before. Knowing that ladies and gentlemen lived somewhere, she perceived their life in much the same way as Oblomov listened to the fairy tale about Militris Kirbityevna in childhood. The meeting with Oblomov served as an impetus for rebirth, but the culprit of this process “did not understand how deeply this meaning had taken root and what an unexpected victory he had achieved over the mistress’s heart... And Pshenitsina’s feeling, so normal, natural, disinterested, remained a secret for Oblomov , for those around her and for herself." Oblomov “was getting closer to Agafya Matveevna - as if he was moving towards a fire, from which it becomes warmer and warmer, but which cannot be loved.” Pshenitsina is the only absolutely unselfish and decisive person around Oblomov. Without delving into any complications, she does what is necessary at the moment: she pawns her own pearls and silver, is ready to borrow money from the relatives of her late husband, just so that Oblomov does not feel lacking in anything. When the intrigues of Mukhoyarov and Tarantiev reach their peak, Pshenitsina decisively renounces both “brother” and “godfather”. Having devoted herself to caring for Oblomov, Agafya lives as fully and variedly as she has never lived before, and her chosen one begins to feel as if in his native Oblomovka: “... he quietly and gradually fit into the simple and wide coffin of the rest of his existence, made by his own hands, like desert elders who, turning away from life, dig their own grave.”
Pshenitsina and Oblomov have a son. Understanding the difference between this child and the children from her first husband, Pshenitsina, after the death of Ilya Ilyich, meekly gives him up to be raised by the Stolts. Oblomov's death brings a new color to Pshenitsina's existence - she is the widow of a landowner, a master, which her “brother” and his wife constantly reproach. And although Pshenitsina’s lifestyle has not changed in any way (she still serves the Mukhoyarov family), the thought constantly pulsates within her that “her life was lost and shone, that God put his soul into her life and took it out again... now She already knew why she lived and that she did not live in vain... Rays, a quiet light from the seven years that flew by in an instant, spilled over her whole life, and she had nothing more to desire, nowhere to go.”
Pshenitsyna’s selflessness is made clear to Stoltz at the end of the novel: she does not need his reports in managing the estate, just as she does not need the income from Oblomovka, which Stoltz put in order. The light of Pshenitsina’s life faded along with Ilya Ilyich.
Roman I.A. Goncharov’s “Oblomov” can be called a narrative about the Russian national character, a reflection on the Russian soul. What is the most important thing in life for a Russian person? What is the meaning of its existence? What influenced the formation of his character?
In the novel, the author reflects on these eternal questions using the example of the life of the main character of the work, Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. He consciously chooses complete inaction, lying on the couch, spiritual and physical extinction. Why? After all, initially Oblomov is smart, fairly educated, and has excellent spiritual qualities. The hero, according to his friend Stolz, has a “heart of gold.” But Oblomov is completely unsuited to his modern, “cold” life. The ideal of Ilya Ilyich is Oblomovka of his childhood, calm, inactive, enveloping him in warmth and comfort. The hero found all this in a house on the Vyborg side, with Agafya Matveevna Pshenitsyna.
Chapter 1 of Part IV of the novel tells about the emergence of a relationship between Oblomov and Pshenitsyna. After his illness, Ilya Ilyich gradually came to his senses and dreamed of a trip to Oblomovka, where things were slowly getting better. There the hero thought to find peace and solitude. But, observing life in the house, Agafya Matveevna’s household, the hero felt so comfortable and good that he was in no hurry to leave.
Pshenitsyna was an excellent housewife; the “household part” in her house flourished. Ilya Ilyich was looked after in the best possible way. No one bothered him; in his thoughts, the hero was left to himself.
Gradually Oblomov began to get closer and closer to Agafya Timofeevna. The mistress of the house also became attached and fell in love with Ilya Ilyich, without even knowing it. It’s just that “for some time now she has become not herself.” Pshenitsyna showed her feelings as best she could - she completely took care of Oblomov. If Ilya Ilyich's dinner did not go well, the hostess, all in tears, angrily scolded the servants. If the hero stayed at a party for a long time, Agafya Matveevna could not sleep, she kept listening for the gate to creak. And when Oblomov fell ill, Pshenitsyna kept watch at his bedside all night long, flew into a rage at the slightest noise in the house, frantically prayed to God for the health of Ilya Ilyich.
Love transformed Agafya Matveevna. Her daily work acquired “a new, living meaning: the peace and comfort of Ilya Ilyich. Before she saw this as a duty, now it has become her pleasure. She began to live in her own full and varied way.”
Pshenitsyna did not think about her feelings: “It was as if she had suddenly converted to another faith and began to profess it, not reasoning..., but blindly obeying its laws.” Agafya Timofeevna felt that Oblomov was a completely different person, not like her deceased husband or brother. Ilya Ilyich is a gentleman, “he looks at everyone and everything so boldly and freely, as if he demands obedience to himself.” Sleek and pampered, he speaks beautifully and intelligently. Ilya Ilyich is very kind and gentle, “touches your hand like velvet...” In a word, Oblomov, according to Agafya Timofeevna, was wonderful and it was impossible not to love him.
Ilya Ilyich had no idea at all about the hostess’s feelings for him. He believed that her caring and warmth were as inherent in her as homeliness, thriftiness, and efficiency. “In the ever-moving elbows, ... in the omniscience of all home comforts” Agafya Timofeevna embodied for Oblomov the ideal of his childhood, his native Oblomovka. Under the patronage of Pshenitsyna, the hero felt that “there is in the house an ever-walking... and hunting eye and restless hands that... will dress, feed, water, dress and put on shoes and put you to sleep, and in death... they will close... their eyes...”
Ilya Ilyich became closer and closer to his mistress every day. His feeling for her was calm and comfortable. Oblomov was pleased to sit next to Pshenitsyna, watching her work, joke with her, and play with her children. But even without Agafya Timofeevna, he did not feel melancholy or boredom, “he did not have a tumor near his heart, he was never worried about anxiety... what she would think about him, what to tell her, how to answer her question, how she would look, - nothing, nothing."
Recognizing Oblomov's superiority, Agafya Timofeevna never reproached the master for anything and did not make any demands on him. Whatever Ilya Ilyich does, everything is fine, everything is as it should be. Therefore, the hero did not experience any doubts, torments, pricks of conscience for his inactivity, unused opportunities. Oblomov enjoyed his quiet life, wanting nothing more.
At one point, a kind of explanation occurred between the heroes. Oblomov hinted to Pshenitsyna about his sympathy for her and tried to kiss her. The imperturbable Agafya Timofeevna didn’t even raise an eyebrow: of course, she loves Oblomov, like all other people, and they can kiss on Easter. The romantic moment immediately turned into an everyday one. The heroes' conversation turned to household matters and everyday worries.
Ilya Ilyich invited Pshenitsyna to live with him in Oblomovka. To this the heroine replied: “We were born here, lived for a century, and here we must die.” And we understand that the hero will also never return to Oblomovka, because he found her here, under the wing of his mistress Agafya Timofeevna.
Thus, after analyzing this chapter, it becomes clear that it is not mental, but a comfortable spiritual life that attracts Oblomov most of all. He is afraid of life's worries, torment, reproaches of conscience - in general, any unrest.
A peaceful, sleepy life in an atmosphere of love, kindness, care and contentment - this is the ultimate dream of the hero. He found all this in the house of Agafya Timofeevna Pshenitsyna.
Relations between Oblomov and Agafya Pshenitsyna were friendly. Oblomov saw that the hostess was involved in his affairs, and invited her to take care of all the worries about his food, thereby relieving the master of the hassle. Agafya agreed, she was even glad that Oblomov made such an offer to her. Therefore, they lived as one friendly family.
After Olga and Oblomov separated, Agafya became not herself, scolding Akulina and Anisya if they did something wrong. Then, the next day, she goes and checks whether the girls did anything right. When Oblomov left somewhere and did not return for a long time, she could not sleep a wink all night, “toss and turn from side to side” and cross herself. And when something knocked on the street, she could run to the window and see if it was he coming. When Oblomov was sick, she didn’t let anyone into his room, but she sat with him and treated him, even when the kids started making noise, she would scold and scold them.
Outwardly, Agafya changed when Oblomov’s attitude towards her changed. When he was silent and gloomy, she became different - thoughtful, sad, she was losing weight and turning pale. And when he is cheerful and kind, the hostess changes before her eyes, and her whole life becomes just as cheerful and measured.
Agafya Matveevna had almost never seen people like Oblomov before; most likely she liked him because he was not from her circle, and they had never met. She compares him with her late husband and with Tarantiev, but he, in her opinion, is a completely different person, he has different movements, poses, phrases, he seems to shine with calmness, beauty and kindness.
Agafya hid her feelings from everyone, could not flirt with Oblomov, an invisible hand kept all Pshenitsyna’s secrets in her soul.
But Oblomov treated her differently, she reminded him of a childhood picture, the village of Oblomovka. She inspired him with calm and tranquility; he could endlessly lie on the sofa and watch her white elbows as she embroidered something. He was grateful to her for everything: for the fact that she quilted all his pillows and blankets, for her warm welcome, for her care, for the fact that she reminded him of his childhood, for the fact that she guessed his desires. “Every day he became more and more friendly with the hostess: love did not even cross his mind,” or rather, the love he felt for Olga. Maybe he loved Agafya, but these feelings were friendly, she became his mother. He was also satisfied that she was caring for him, cherishing him; he saw such a life in his dreams.
Having married Agafya, Oblomov did not change his attitude towards her; he also thanked her with friendly gratitude, because she brought peace and tranquility into his soul, which he had been looking for for so long. It seemed that he had returned to Oblomovka again, where the inhabitants were separated from the outside world, where silence and eternal sleep reigned, which enveloped and left Oblomov in its arms.
3. Oblomov and Stolz
4. Oblomov and Olga
5. Oblomov and Agafya Matveevna
6. Conclusion
7. List of references
Oblomov and Agafya Matveevna
After some time, Oblomov meets another woman who loves him with selfless, sacrificial love, and takes all care of him - this is the widow Agafya Matveevna. What role does she play in Oblomov’s life? Remembering her image, you can
It is certain that she is the living embodiment of his ideal. She attracts Oblomov with her continuous activity. She has some kind of Russian beauty. Agafya Matveevna, unlike Olga, does not shine with a special mind and does not know how to sing “Casta Diva” so wonderfully, but, having fallen in love
Oblomov once, she is ready to give him her whole life. Agafya Matveevna is much simpler than Olga, but only with this woman does Oblomov find his human happiness. In the house on the Vyborg side, Agafya Matveevna takes on all the household chores of Ilya Ilyich. For Ilya Ilyich, this was the fulfillment of his dream. He begins to live the way he likes: lying on the sofa, eating, drinking, sleeping has become much more pleasant and convenient than always “spinning” in the service, like Sudbinsky, than writing accusatory articles, like Penkin. His life flowed calmly, without external worries and worries.
“It’s as if an invisible hand planted it, like a precious plant, in the shade from the heat, under a shelter from the rain, and is caring for and nurturing it.”
In essence, we can say that the house on the Vyborg side is the same Oblomovka. And Agafya Matveevna is the same Zakhar.
“The trusty eye of the housewife looked after the fish so that, God forbid, it would not be overcooked; the greens in the salad were the freshest. The dust has been swept away from the mirror and chairs. The room was always clean with a fresh morning smell.”
What could make the master fall in love with a simple woman, the widow of a college assessor, who knew nothing but how to make the life of her loved one very comfortable? It seems to me that after Ilya Ilyich broke up with Olga Ilyinskaya, Ilya Oblomov’s heart was broken. But it would be unfair to say that Oblomov died for all noble and great purposes, burying himself alive on the Vyborg side. Everything seemed to be overgrown, flooded, covered with the patina of time in it. Only one thing remained untouched in Ilya, pure and clear, as it had been for many years. This miracle was Oblomov’s soul, not dusty and transparent, like a crystal vessel with living water inside. Love in Oblomov’s life was both tragic and beautiful. The tragedy lies in his break with Olga Ilyinskaya, which led him to internal experiences. And she is beautiful because he finally found happiness with Agafya Matveevna, but his happiness lies in peace and humility. As a result of their love, little Andryushka is born, whom Stolz takes into his upbringing, and, probably, will make him the “future” Stolz, directing all his strength to mechanical labor, which Oblomov was so afraid of.
The novel "Oblomov", written by the author, presents the reader with versatile characters. The female images in the work are complete opposites. and Agafya Pshenitsyna are antipodes. Literary critics note Olga’s life position, desire for self-improvement and constant development. The inner beauty of the heroine in the work is contrasted with the bourgeois love for the home and family of Agafya Pshenitsyna.
Agafya received negative reviews from the writer’s contemporaries and the public, who subsequently became acquainted with the novel. Pshenitsyna is close to the main character in spirit, but the sympathies of the audience always turned out to be on the side of Ilyinskaya. At the same time, the image of the second character is no less deep and multifaceted. The illusory happiness and love that he sought to find overtook him in his marriage to Agafya.
Biography and plot
Agafya Matveevna Pshenitsyna is the widow of an official and the illegitimate wife of the protagonist. The characterization of a character begins with an external description. She looked no more than 30 years old. The figure was distinguished by its fullness and whiteness of skin. The face did not stand out in anything remarkable: the eyebrows were inconspicuous, the eyes were unattractive, the expression did not reflect emotions. Only the woman’s hands betrayed her penchant for work. Until the appearance of Oblomov, her life was monotonous and devoid of bright events. The housewife had no education, talents or interests. The main value was the house, which she maintained immaculately.
Agafya fanatically managed her household affairs, realizing that there would always be work. Her activity prevented anyone from getting bored and wasting time. The character of the heroine and selfless devotion to ideals awakened love in Oblomov. Having become a lodger, Ilya Ilyich demonstrated how he could influence female nature. Laziness did not become an obstacle to the birth of a new love story. Pshenitsyna was transformed. She not only became thoughtful, but also tried in every possible way to please her lover. Oblomov's clothes were always clean, the table was set in accordance with his wishes, and during moments of Ilya's illness, Agafya Matveevna did not leave the sick bedside.
The author wrote that with the advent of love in Pshenitsyna’s life, the entire household, like an organism, acquired a new meaning of life. The specificity of the image of Agafya Pshenitsyna is that she turns out to be the only decisive and unselfish person among Oblomov’s acquaintances. The heroine is ready to make sacrifices to help out her husband: she pawns jewelry, borrows from the family of her late husband, breaks ties with her brother, who is trying to involve Oblomov in intrigue.
In the union of Pshenitsyna and Oblomov, a son is born. The boy is not like Agafya Matveevna’s other children. He has no place in the family and, realizing this, after Oblomov’s death the child is transferred to foster care.
A woman’s love did not need material reinforcements and did not require changes in Ilya Ilyich’s personality. He was the best man for her. The connection between the characters was built not on fictitious attachments, but on the conscious similarity of characters and worldview.
Goncharov, describing the heroine, presents a dual image. This is a narrow-minded woman without ambitions or interests, whose social circle is servants and merchants. A weak-willed character, ready to live someone else’s life in the absence of his own ideals and ambitions. On the other hand, Pshenitsyna appears as a savior in the situation in which the main character finds himself. This is a quiet housewife trying to hide her illiteracy, a believing home woman who protects Oblomov’s peace. Capable of sacrifice, she gives herself completely, showing natural femininity and finding happiness from the opportunity to be close to her loved one.
Relations with Agafya Matveevna become a healing balm for Oblomov after the vicissitudes of his relationship with Ilyinskaya. He receives the long-awaited peace and harmony. He is idolized and loved despite his nature and habits. The character of Pshenitsyna, depending on the reader’s perception of the main character of the work, evokes different feelings. Oblomov the lazy man provokes the appearance of a negative image of Agafya, who panders to his shortcomings. Oblomov, an ordinary man who is not looking for movement and development, is happy with Agafya. For a simple bourgeois existence, Pshenitsyna turns out to be a suitable passion.
A comparison of Pshenitsyna and Ilyinskaya shows that the first is a character demonstrating Christian love. When wondering why it was not the brave Olga, but the quiet Agafya, who turned out to be closer to Oblomov, it is easy to get the answer:
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".
Tortured by needs, Oblomov’s essence felt comfortable in bliss and adoration. The hero, incapable of fighting, turned out to be inclined to a simple way of existence.
Actresses
The role of Agafya Matveevna in films was performed by diverse artists. In the 1965 film of the same name, Tamara Aleshina played the role of Oblomov’s last love. The main role in the actress’s career was the character of the film “Heavenly Slug” - Masha Svetlova. The performer's appearance was conducive to her appointment to the role. Director Alexander Belinsky relied on the dramatic talent of the theater artist, thanks to which the image turned out to be deep and authentic.
Tamara Aleshina as Pshenitsyna In 1966, Italian film director Claudio Fino released a project called OBLOMOV. The role of Agafya Pshenitsyna went to Pina Chei. The actress is known for playing the leading female roles in projects based on classical literature.
In 1972, Soviet directors Oscar Remez and Galina Kholopova began filming the novel. The image of Agafya Pshenitsyna was embodied by Marina Kuznetsova.
The actresses who played the role of Oblomov's named wife were distinguished by pleasant but typical facial features. This matched the description of the heroine in the novel. The subtle nuance of the director’s plan emphasized Goncharov’s idea that for Oblomov, Pshenitsyna was not a simple housewife. She was more of a guardian angel who took responsibility for someone else's life and well-being.
- Agafya Pshenitsyna is not a random character in the novel. Its prototype is the image invented by the author to depict Oblomov’s mother. Avdotya Matveevna, like Agafya, has an Old Russian name and a similar patronymic. A believer and kind woman personified caring for her son and home.
- Despite the desire to interpret Pshenitsyna’s character as negative, it is noteworthy that he is described in the traditions of Russian beauty. A plump woman who takes care of the family hearth is a symbol of the fertility of the Russian land and everything that attracts Oblomov in his native country.
- The system of images in the novel is curious: two men and two women opposed to each other find happiness based on the similarity of characters. Educated intellectuals find each other, guided by ambitions and aspirations. Their happiness seems feigned and incomplete. At the same time, ordinary people find peace and harmony in a family where respect for each other reigns.
