Love And Death

The six stories in this collection from the work of Ivan Turgenev are almost novella length. Beginning with “The Diary of a Superfluous Man” I will review them separately.

The format is of a diary written by a dying man, an unrequited lover, more significantly a self identified redundant human being. The author’s fine descriptive prose; incorporating all the senses, notably sight, smell, and hearing; presenting the environment the natural world, and personalities in the most crucial stages of his life. The weather plays its part in setting the mood.

He begins with childhood bereavement and consequent lifelong grief pervading his last two weeks. Above all, Turgenev offers the deepest thoughts of his protagonist, As a child his “tears would flow down effortlessly just like water from a brimming glass.” As an adult he becomes tongue tied at important moments.

We are treated to a fine uplifting account of the emotions of the diarist at the moment he fell in love with an ordinary, attractive young girl who herself falls for a dashing military man who inevitably leaves her. The surprise is that the ultimate winner is a perhaps equally insignificant character.

A duel provides further conviction to the diarist’s interpretation of his superfluity.

The introduction by the translator, Richard Freeborn is thorough, insightful, and covers the range of Turgenev’s work, putting this medium in the context of his shorter sketches, stories, and full length novels. He presents me with a considerable challenge.

The title page and frontispiece above feature Elisa Trimby’s lithographs. The header picture is of the boards and spine from her design.

This evening we were joined by Ian who returned in time to partake of succulent roast chicken; crisp Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes, sweet and white; crunchy carrots; firm cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, with meaty gravy. Our son-in-law drank Hoegaarden, Jackie drank more of the pinot Grigio, and I finished the Fleurie.

45 comments

  11. I see that your reading adventure with the Russian classics continues, Derrick. I don’t have much to say about this one, other than it was required reading at school.
    I am with Jackie on Pinot Grigio; it’s one of my favorite wines, as long as it is a true Venetian, rather than a compilation.

    Reply

  13. At the moment, in this cold, I feel like that insignificant diarist. Redundant, good for nothing, lazy to the core, purposeless.

    Reply

  15. He lived a very large part of his life in Paris,I believe, and was very aristrocratic in his outlook. I look forward to the reviews of some others of his work.

    Reply

Leave a Reply