Superfluous man
Encyclopedia
The Superfluous Man is a 19th century Russia
n literary concept. It relates to an individual, possibly of talent and capability, who does not fit into the state-centered pattern of employment. Often the individual is born into the upper class and is rich and affluent. He may pursue a military career and can often be seen as a nihilist
or fatalist
. This is supported by the fact that superfluous men participate in duels and risk-seeking behavior, such as gambling. Their actions can be attributed to their self-destructive nature and their disregard for the social values and standards of the time. The consequence is a character bored with life, cynical and withdrawn, often causing distress to whatever occupies his attention, which is often women. Scholar David Patterson characterises the superfluous man as "not just...another literary type but as a paradigm of a person who has lost a point, a place, a presence in life", concluding that "the superfluous man is a homeless man".
The term was popularized by Ivan Turgenev
's novella The Diary of a Superfluous Man
(1850) and was thereafter retroactively applied to characters from novels of the earlier part of the nineteenth-century. This character type originates out of Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
, which inspired Alexander Pushkin to write his novel in verse Eugene Onegin
. Many of Pushkin's short stories characterize superfluous men, notably The Queen of Spades
. Mikhail Lermontov
's A Hero of Our Time
also depicted a superfluous man—Pechorin—as the hero of his novel. Both Pushkin and Lermontov memorably died in duels. Yevgeny Bazarov, a major character of Turgenev's novel Fathers and Sons
(1862), is also considered a superfluous man, as is the titular character of Ivan Goncharov
's Oblomov
(1859).
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n literary concept. It relates to an individual, possibly of talent and capability, who does not fit into the state-centered pattern of employment. Often the individual is born into the upper class and is rich and affluent. He may pursue a military career and can often be seen as a nihilist
Nihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
or fatalist
Fatalism
Fatalism is a philosophical doctrine emphasizing the subjugation of all events or actions to fate.Fatalism generally refers to several of the following ideas:...
. This is supported by the fact that superfluous men participate in duels and risk-seeking behavior, such as gambling. Their actions can be attributed to their self-destructive nature and their disregard for the social values and standards of the time. The consequence is a character bored with life, cynical and withdrawn, often causing distress to whatever occupies his attention, which is often women. Scholar David Patterson characterises the superfluous man as "not just...another literary type but as a paradigm of a person who has lost a point, a place, a presence in life", concluding that "the superfluous man is a homeless man".
The term was popularized by Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev was a Russian novelist, short story writer, and playwright. His first major publication, a short story collection entitled A Sportsman's Sketches, is a milestone of Russian Realism, and his novel Fathers and Sons is regarded as one of the major works of 19th-century...
's novella The Diary of a Superfluous Man
The Diary of a Superfluous Man
The Diary of a Superfluous Man is an 1850 novella by Russian author Ivan Turgenev. It is written in the first person in the form of a diary by a man who has a few days left to live as he recounts incidents of his life...
(1850) and was thereafter retroactively applied to characters from novels of the earlier part of the nineteenth-century. This character type originates out of Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is a lengthy narrative poem in four parts written by Lord Byron. It was published between 1812 and 1818 and is dedicated to "Ianthe". The poem describes the travels and reflections of a world-weary young man who, disillusioned with a life of pleasure and revelry, looks...
, which inspired Alexander Pushkin to write his novel in verse Eugene Onegin
Eugene Onegin
Eugene Onegin is a novel in verse written by Alexander Pushkin.It is a classic of Russian literature, and its eponymous protagonist has served as the model for a number of Russian literary heroes . It was published in serial form between 1825 and 1832...
. Many of Pushkin's short stories characterize superfluous men, notably The Queen of Spades
The Queen of Spades (story)
"The Queen of Spades" is a short story by Alexander Pushkin about human avarice. Pushkin wrote the story in autumn 1833 in Boldino and it was first published in the literary magazine Biblioteka dlya chteniya in March 1834...
. Mikhail Lermontov
Mikhail Lermontov
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov , a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucasus", became the most important Russian poet after Alexander Pushkin's death in 1837. Lermontov is considered the supreme poet of Russian literature alongside Pushkin and the greatest...
's A Hero of Our Time
A Hero of Our Time
A Hero of Our Time is a novel by Mikhail Lermontov, written in 1839 and revised in 1841. It is an example of the superfluous man novel, noted for its compelling Byronic hero Pechorin and for the beautiful descriptions of the Caucasus...
also depicted a superfluous man—Pechorin—as the hero of his novel. Both Pushkin and Lermontov memorably died in duels. Yevgeny Bazarov, a major character of Turgenev's novel Fathers and Sons
Fathers and Sons
Fathers and Sons is an 1862 novel by Ivan Turgenev, his best known work. The title of this work in Russian is Отцы и дети , which literally means "Fathers and Children"; the work is often translated to Fathers and Sons in English for reasons of euphony.- Historical context and notes :The fathers...
(1862), is also considered a superfluous man, as is the titular character of Ivan Goncharov
Ivan Goncharov
Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov was a Russian novelist best known as the author of Oblomov .- Biography :Ivan Goncharov was born in Simbirsk ; his father was a wealthy grain merchant and respected official who was elected mayor of Simbirsk several times...
's Oblomov
Oblomov
Oblomov is the best known novel by Russian writer Ivan Goncharov, first published in 1859. Oblomov is also the central character of the novel, often seen as the ultimate incarnation of the superfluous man, a symbolic character in 19th-century Russian literature...
(1859).
External links
- Superfluous man at Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia BritannicaThe Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...