"A Russian Gentleman"

Analytical Essay # 45322

English > Analysis
Literature > Russian

An analysis of Sergei Aksakov's novel, "A Russian Gentleman".

700 words () | 1 source | 2003 United States

Paper Summary:

Sergei Aksakov?s novel, "A Russian Gentleman", is an amazing chronicle depicting Russia?s country life in the days of serfdom. This paper provides a brief examination of the novel and concentrates on the main characters, Stepan and Sofya.

From the Paper:

"The chronicle is divided into five ?fragments,? in which the first fragment introduces the family's move into the southeastern provinces of the Russian Empire. In this first sketch, Aksakov introduces the good-hearted yet ill-tempered character of Stepan. The second fragment recalls the marriage of 15 year-old Parasha, Stepan's beloved ward, to a vicious and even more ill-tempered man. In this sketch, Stepan heroically rescues Parasha from a near death situation at her husband's hands. The last three fragments discuss the meeting, wedding, and early married years of Aksakov's parents, especially emphasizing the difficulties both had in gaining acceptance by their in-laws, and difficulties with the stereotypic gender roles in their marriage (ie living up to the husband/provider role and vice versa), which was of significant importance in early modern Russia."