Oblomov (Original 1859; Ausgabe 2009)

Oblomov é apático, sonhador - tanto que demora quarenta páginas antes de conseguir se levantar da cama. E ele foi também considerado parte do caráter russo, a encarnação do homem supérfluo: Lênin, em seus discursos, falava da necessidade de exorcizá-lo. Muito interessante para quem se interessa por literatura russa. ( )

Started reading January 2013 ( )

The novel opens with Oblomov lying in bed one morning. It proceeds to describe the man, the rather squalid room, the furniture, and the exchanges with Zahar, his old, grumbling, lazy, but loyal servant. The day continues, Oblomov has his meals, friends drop in, invitations accepted or rejected -- all this conducted within the confines of his bed. Between conversations or attempts at plans for the day, he returns to his semi-awakened state, and immerses himself in the fairy tale images of his pampered childhood, especially of the food and preparation of it, around which family life revolved. Life was a tranquil pool. Even his imaginings of the future mirrored the dreamy days of his childhood -- a string of quiet and languid days spent strolling thoughtfully in the gardens with a charming wife... The day would be over before long. This constituted his daily routine. One day, Stoltz, a dear friend arrives, and Oblomov is introduced to a friend, Olga. Young, lovely Olga is drawn to Oblomov who couldn't believe his luck. Despite his love for her, he was ambiguous in how he expressed himself. Oblomov felt she deserved more, and that he was not the right man for her. He knew that she would very shortly mature and realize that there was a world out there, into which he would not be able to accompany her. Because of his rejection, she went away, and it was while she was trying to get over Oblomov that she realized she belonged with Stoltz, progressive, energetic, and a man with plans for the future. The three remain very good friends, the affection between them remaining solid and untarnished until the end. Oblomov never changed, never made that long-promised visit to his neglected estate, never moved away, never took another job in his life, never fell in love again, never changed his daily habits, never lost his love for food, never lifted a finger to do anything so that long years of these left him even softer, fatter, and slower in his middle age, and his death was as quiet as his life uneventful.

Based on the little I knew of this book, I was prepared to dislike Oblomov from page one -- I didn't take to slothful behaviour. But he becomes a dear figure, especially as we see his unselfishness and self-sacrificing nature, his wisdom and strength of character, displayed when he gave up Olga. He couldn't help his nature, it was how he was brought up, what he became, how he viewed the world. Oblomov was not lazy or indolent, rather he was devoid of will. He just did not see the point of effort. He knew the consequences of his inaction, his indecision, but he acted like a doomed man -- accepting of everything, a defeatist. We see not a disintegration of a character, but the continued existence of a half-formed one, and that is what makes Oblomov tragic.

Oblomov meant to symbolize Russia's aristrocratic class, and Olga and Stoltz, the arrival of change, of the new things, of new ways of thinking. Goncharov's writing is engaging, the characters are very well-drawn, and the ideas fully developed. This novel is great in every sense of the word. ( )

Great Russian novel. Despite his so called laziness, have sympathy for main character. Sometimes want to shout to him go on do something. ( )

Although i find the proza quite good, when i got halfway i got tired and skipped to the last chapter. After reading the last chapter i had the feeling i didn't miss anything. ( )