Perhaps the roots of such restraint go back to childhood, when, as a child-master, he depended on a domineering mother who was simply a despot. But not only this trait of his character prevented the talented writer from engaging in literary activity. Researchers of the life and work of Turgenev found that the writer was unnecessary. He was never in a hurry.
But, despite such negative qualities of his character, he was a gentle and generous person. He never held any grudge, did not try to strike painfully with a word. The writer's contemporaries argued that he was also very modest. And the best thing about him was that he was very talented.
The history of the creation of Turgenev's story "Asya"
Already starting in the middle of the summer of 1857, the famous writer began working on his new story, and worked on it until November of the same year. The slow pace of writing a new work was due to the illness of the author. In Sovremennik, his work was expected much earlier.
As the writer himself spoke about the idea of his story, it was not by chance that he appeared in his mind. In one of the German cities, he saw the usual picture: one elderly woman suddenly looked out of the window located on the first floor. The head of a young and beautiful girl immediately appeared, but from the window located above. And as the author claimed, at that moment he decided to imagine how the fate of these women could develop. This is how the idea of his story appeared. Still, there were prototypes of the heroes. Researchers believe that among them was the fate of the author himself, as well as in Asi, they easily recognized the illegitimate daughter of the author.
It is known that Pauline Brewer, the illegitimate daughter of the writer, was in the same strange position as the heroine. Born a peasant woman, she finds herself in the world of the nobility, which does not accept her as much as she cannot accept him. But there are other opinions: some researchers of Turgenev's work argued that the prototype of the main character is Varvara Zhitova, Turgenev's sister, whose fate was very similar to that of the writer's daughter. Most likely, Asya's image is collective.
The plot of the Turgenev story
The narration comes from the person of Mr. N.N., who, having heard some familiar melody, suddenly recalls his young years, when he was happy for a moment. And he felt this happiness in a small town, which is located on the banks of the Rhine.
Then he, too, having heard the music, crossed by boat to the other side, where he met two vacationers from Russia. It was an aspiring artist Gagin and a beautiful young girl Asya, who introduced herself as the young man's sister. Their walks through the ruins of the ancient castle are becoming more and more frequent, and in the soul of Mr. N. the suspicion creeps in that the young people are not brother and sister at all. Soon there is a conversation with the artist, where he learns the story of Asya. The girl is really the artist's sister. And her fate is sad.
Until the age of 12, Gagin lived in the family of his father, who was a landowner. Then the boy was sent to a St. Petersburg boarding house. During his training, the whole sad came - his mother died. When his father died, Gagin learned that he had a half-sister. At that time, the girl was only thirteen years old, and her mother was a maid in her father's house. Gagin could not take care of the girl at that time, so he gives her to the boarding house for a while, but there it is not easy for Asya. Therefore, Gagin decided to take his sister and go abroad with her.
Mr. N. feels sorry for the girl, he falls in love with her. Suddenly, a letter comes from Asya, where she asks for a date. In doubts and throwing, the narrator decides to reject the girl's love. The meeting took place in the burgomaster's house, and Asya found herself involuntarily in the arms of Mr. N., He began to accuse the girl that his brother knew about their love, who had already talked to him. Thus, he refuses the girl. Asya, disappointed, runs away. And Gagin and Mr. N. are looking for her. Only the next day does the narrator begin to realize what he loves.
Suddenly he decides to go to Asya to ask her for her hand. But it turns out that the young people left the city. He tried to catch up with them, but the trail was lost. So he never saw them again. There were other women in the life of the narrator, but he could not forget Asya, because he loved only her. This girl gave him the brightest feelings and the most emotional moments of life.
The image of Asya in the Turgenev story
Turgenev's story "Asya" amazes with its lyricism and sincerity. Its poetry has attracted readers for many years, who reread it again and again.
The main heroine of Turgenev's story is Asya, young and delicate, beautiful and full of vitality. Asya is an amazing girl, so when Mr. N. meets her, she soon cannot forget. A charming girl dreams of a feat in order to be useful to people and social life. She thinks a lot and her dreams will never be understood by the main character. The girl thinks that life is slowly disappearing, but she has not done anything, has not done anything yet. This is one of those images that gave rise to the name "Turgenev girl".
Asya understood early and realized what place she still occupies in this difficult world. Born in all marriages, in a village hut, but knowing that her father was a landowner, she suffered and suffered, and her further position, incomprehensible and unclear, continues to torment her all the time. But to herself, she had long ago decided to be no different from secular women who were born and raised in wealthy families. At the same time, she did not want to blindly follow the crowd. She already had her own, formed, look.
Throughout the story, the reader sees how attentively and caringly, with great love, the narrator treats Asya. He was able to love her not for her external charm, but for her beautiful soul. She only at the beginning of Turgenev's story turns out to be a mystery to everyone, but gradually the author reveals her inner world. The girl's upbringing was a little strange. But at the same time, Asya was not deprived of good manners, she was well educated, she spoke two foreign languages perfectly. Gagin had a completely different upbringing.
The character of the main character was also interesting, so one could say about her that she was inherent in lyricism, tenderness, and emotionality. Therefore, when she falls in love, she feels rather contradictory. Inside the heroine, a real struggle was simply played out. It is to Mr. N. that she tries to open her heart. And the author constantly portrays the girl in different ways. For example, at the beginning of the story, she is romantic and very mysterious. But then, opening up, he surprises with his courage, invulnerability, and strength of mind.
The author interestingly describes how the first feeling comes to this beautiful girl. Her behavior is often impossible to explain, but the reader can see the spiritual evolution of the main character. Right in front of the reader's eyes, the girl grew up and learned to trust people. But the result of this growing up is sad: she was disappointed in the person she fell in love with, so many of her hopes were not destined to come true. But the strength appeared to live on. It was difficult for her to communicate with the inner world of Mr. N., who was cold and indifferent. Asya turns out to be above her friend, spiritually and morally.
Yes, Asya is trying to run away from her love, but this does not save her at all. The fate of Asya at the end of the story remains unknown, but her beautiful image is forever remembered by the reader.
Analysis of the Turgenev story
According to the plot of the work, the reader can notice that the narration is from the author himself, who is exactly the storyteller. But in the course of the denouement of the whole plot, his name was never called.
There are few main characters in Turgenev's story "Asya":
✔ Gagin
✔ Mr. N.N.
In the life of the storyteller, quite by accident, a beautiful girl appears who first fell in love. Therefore, Turgenev's story is, first of all, about love, albeit sad. The narrator from time to time returns to his past, trying to understand the feelings that he once experienced and, comparing them with what the girl could have experienced. That is why there are so many monologues by the narrator in the text.
The author carefully observes his heroine and notices any changes in her behavior. The narrator learns the story of the girl, so he begins to treat her in a completely different way. Meeting with Mr. N.N. changes the girl, but only the hero himself does not understand his happiness. He pushes Asya away, refuses her love, then regrets, but nothing can be returned.
Critical perception of Turgenev's story "Asya"
During the life of the writer, his beautiful and sad story was translated into many world languages. There were many controversies and critical articles about Turgenev's heroes. So, Chernyshevsky devoted an entire article to the main character, when he said only a few words about the main character, considering him not only an egoist, but also an indecisive person who could not realize his dreams in this life and, accordingly, did not find his place in life ... According to Chernyshevsky, the author showed in his interesting plot "an extra person".
The conclusion that any reader can draw at the end of the story is simple - love has no tomorrow. You need to love today, now, immediately and forever.
N.N., a middle-aged socialite, recalls a story that happened when he was twenty-five years old. N.N. then traveled without a goal and without a plan, and on his way stopped in a quiet German town N. , which Gagin called Asya. NN avoided Russians abroad, but he immediately liked his new acquaintance. Gagin invited N.N. to his home, to the apartment where he and his sister were staying. N. N. was fascinated by his new friends. At first Asya was shy of NN, but soon she herself began to speak to him. Evening came, it was time to go home. Leaving the Gagins, N. N. felt happy.
Many days have passed. Asya's pranks were varied, every day she seemed to be a new, different - now a well-bred young lady, now a playful child, now a simple girl. N. N. regularly visited the Gagins. Some time later, Asya stopped being naughty, looked upset, avoided NN Gagin treated her kindly and condescendingly, and in NN there was a growing suspicion that Gagin was not Asya's brother. A strange incident confirmed his suspicions. Once N.N. accidentally overheard a conversation between the Gagins, in which Asya told Gagin that she loved him and did not want to love anyone else. NN was very bitter.
NN spent the next few days in nature, avoiding the Gagins. But a few days later he found a note at home from Gagin, who asked him to come. Gagin greeted N.N. in a friendly way, but Asya, seeing the guest, burst out laughing and ran away. Then Gagin told a friend the story of his sister.
Gagin's parents lived in their village. After the death of Gagin's mother, his father raised his son himself. But once Gagin's uncle arrived, who decided that the boy should study in St. Petersburg. Father resisted, but gave in, and Gagin entered school, and then into the Guards regiment. Gagin often came and once, at the age of twenty, he saw a little girl Asya in his house, but did not pay any attention to her, having heard from her father that she was an orphan and was taken by him "for feeding."
Gagin was away from his father for a long time and was only receiving letters from him, when suddenly one day the news came about his fatal illness. Gagin arrived and found his father dying. He bequeathed to his son to take care of his daughter, Gagin's sister - Asya. Soon the father died, and the servant told Gagin that Asya was the daughter of Gagin's father and Tatyana's maid. Gagin's father became very attached to Tatyana and even wanted to marry her, but Tatyana did not consider herself a lady and lived with her sister with Asya. When Asya was nine years old, she lost her mother. Her father took her into the house and raised her himself. She was ashamed of her origin and at first was afraid of Gagin, but then she fell in love with him. He, too, became attached to her, brought her to Petersburg and, no matter how bitter it was for him to do it, he sent her to a boarding school. There she had no friends, the young ladies did not like her, but now she is seventeen, she finished her studies, and they went abroad together. And so ... she is playing pranks and fooling around as before ...
After Gagin's story, NN became easy. Asya, who met them in the room, suddenly asked Gagin to play a waltz for them, and N.N. and Asya danced for a long time. Asya waltzed beautifully, and NN recalled this dance for a long time afterwards.
The next day Gagin, N.N. and Asya were together and had fun like children, but the next day Asya was pale, she said that she was thinking about her death. Everyone except Gagin was sad.
Once NN was brought a note from Asya, in which she asked him to come. Soon Gagin came to NN and said that Asya was in love with NN. Yesterday she had a fever all evening, she didn’t eat anything, cried and confessed that she loved NN. She wanted to leave ...
NN told a friend about the note that Asya had sent him. Gagin understood that his friend would not marry Asya, so they agreed that NN would honestly explain to her, and Gagin would sit at home and not pretend that he knew about the note.
Gagin left, but N.N.'s head was spinning. Another note informed N.N. about the change of the place of their meeting with Asya. Arriving at the appointed place, he saw the hostess, Frau Louise, who led him into the room where Asya was waiting.
Asya was trembling. NN hugged her, but immediately remembered Gagin and began to accuse Asya of telling her brother everything. Asya listened to his speeches and suddenly burst into tears. NN was confused, but she rushed to the door and disappeared.
NN rushed about the city in search of Asya. Self-annoyance gnawed at him. Thinking it over, he went to the Gagins' house. Gagin came out to meet him, worried that Asya was not there. N.N. looked for Asya all over the city, he repeated a hundred times that he loved her, but could not find her anywhere. However, approaching the Gagins' house, he saw the light in Ashina's room and calmed down. He made a firm decision - tomorrow to go and ask Ashina's hand. N. N. was happy again.
The next day, N.N. saw a servant at the house, who said that the owners had left, and handed him a note from Gagin, where he wrote that he was convinced of the need for separation. When NN walked past Frau Louise's house, she gave him a note from Asya, where she wrote that if NN had said one word, she would have stayed. But, apparently, it's better this way ...
NN looked everywhere for the Gagins, but did not find them. He knew many women, but the feeling Asya awakened in him never happened again. Longing for her remained with NN for the rest of his life.
“I was then twenty-five years old,” began NN, “the affairs of bygone days, as you can see. I just broke free and went abroad, not to “finish my upbringing,” as they used to say back then, but I just wanted to see the world of God. I was healthy, young, cheerful, my money was not transferred, worries had not yet had time to start - I lived without looking back, did what I wanted, prospered, in a word. It did not even occur to me then that man is not a plant and that he cannot flourish for a long time. Youth eats gilded gingerbread, and even thinks that this is their daily bread; but the time will come - and you will ask for a loaf. But there is nothing to talk about it.
I traveled for no purpose, no plan; I stopped wherever I liked, and set off immediately further, as soon as I felt the desire to see new faces - namely, faces. I was only interested in people; I hated curious monuments, wonderful gatherings, the sight of a womb-lackey aroused in me a feeling of melancholy and anger; I almost went crazy in Dresden's Grüne Geewölbe.
The hero loved the crowd very much. He was amused by "watching people ...". But recently N.N. received a severe mental wound, and therefore sought solitude. He settled in the town of Z., which was two miles from the Rhine. Somehow, while walking, the hero heard music. He was told that the students came from B. to commercial. N. N. decided to go and see.
| II |
Commerce is a special kind of solemn feast, which is attended by students from one land, or brotherhood. “Almost all commercial participants wear the long-established costume of German students: Hungarian women, large boots and small hats with rims in famous colors. Students usually gather for dinner under the chairmanship of a senior, that is, a foreman - and feast until morning, drink, sing songs, Landesvater, Gaudeamus, smoke, scold the philistines; sometimes they hire an orchestra. "
N.N. mingled with the crowd of spectators. And then suddenly I heard a Russian conversation. Here, next to him, stood a young man in a cap and wide jacket; he was holding a small girl by the arm, wearing a straw hat that covered the entire upper part of her face. The hero did not expect to see the Russians "in such a remote place."
Introduced themselves. The young man is Gagin. The girl who stood next to him, he called his sister. Gagin also travels for his own pleasure. He had a face “sweet, affectionate, with big soft eyes and soft curly hair. He spoke in such a way that, even without seeing his face, you could feel from the sound of his voice that he was smiling.
The girl, whom he called his sister, at first glance seemed very pretty to me. There was something of her own, special, in the warehouse of her swarthy round face, with a small thin nose, almost childish cheeks and black, light eyes. She was gracefully built, but as if not yet fully developed. She was not in the least like her brother. "
Gagin and Asya (her name was Anna) invited N.N. to visit him. Their house was high in the mountains. Dinner began. Asya turned out to be very mobile. “... She got up, ran into the house and ran again, sang in an undertone, often laughed, and in a strange way: it seemed that she was laughing not at what she heard, but at various thoughts that came into her head. Her big eyes looked straight, bright, bold, but sometimes her eyelids slightly squinted, and then her gaze suddenly became deep and gentle. "
We came to the ruins of the castle. "We were already approaching them, when suddenly a female figure flashed in front of us, quickly ran over the pile of rubble and settled on the ledge of the wall, right above the abyss." It turned out to be Asya! Gagin shook his finger at her, and N.N. loudly reproached her for carelessness.
“Asya continued to sit motionless, her legs tucked under her and her head wrapped in a muslin scarf; her slender appearance was clearly and beautifully drawn against the clear sky; but I looked at her with hostile feeling. Already the day before I noticed something tense in her, not quite natural ... “She wants to surprise us,” I thought, “what is it for? What a childish trick? " As if she had guessed my thoughts, she suddenly threw a quick and piercing glance at me, laughed again, jumped off the wall in two leaps and, going up to the old woman, asked her for a glass of water.
“She suddenly seemed to be ashamed, lowered her long eyelashes and modestly sat down next to us, as if she were guilty. Here for the first time I took a good look at her face, the most changeable face that I have ever seen. A few moments later it all turned pale and took on a concentrated, almost sad expression; her very features seemed to me larger, stricter, simpler. She was all quiet. We walked around the ruin (Asya followed us) and admired the views. " N.N. it seemed that Asya was constantly playing a new role in front of him. Gagin indulged her in everything. Then the girl went to Frau Louise, the widow of the former local burgomaster, a kind, but empty old woman. She fell in love with Asya very much. “Asya has a passion to meet people of the lower circle; I noticed that the reason for this is always pride. She's pretty spoiled with me, as you see, ”he added, after a pause,“ but what do you want to do? I do not know how to collect from anyone, and even more so from her. I have to be condescending to her. "
In the evening, the friends went to Frau Louise to see if Asya was there. Arriving home, N.N. “I started thinking ... thinking about Asya. It occurred to me that during the conversation Gagin hinted to me about some difficulties preventing him from returning to Russia ... "Enough, is she his sister?" I said loudly. "
| V |
“The next morning I went to L. again. I assured myself that I wanted to see Gagin, but secretly I was drawn to see what Asya would do, whether she would be just as“ weird ”as the day before. I found both in the living room, and, strange to say! - whether because I thought a lot about Russia at night and in the morning - Asya seemed to me a completely Russian girl, yes, just a girl, almost a maid. She was wearing an old dress, combed her hair behind her ears and sat, not moving, by the window and sewing in a hoop, modestly, quietly, as if she had not done anything else for her life. She said almost nothing, calmly looked at her work, and her features took on such an insignificant, everyday expression that I involuntarily recalled our home-grown Katya and Masha. To complete the resemblance, she began to hum in an undertone "Mother, dear." I looked at her yellowish, faded face, recalled yesterday's dreams, and I felt sorry for something. "
| VI |
For two weeks in a row N.N. visited the Gagins. “Asya seemed to be avoiding me, but no longer allowed herself any of those pranks that so surprised me in the first two days of our acquaintance. She seemed secretly distressed or embarrassed; she laughed less. I watched her with curiosity. " The girl turned out to be extremely proud. And Gagin did not treat her like a brother: too affectionate, too condescending and at the same time somewhat constrained. A strange incident confirmed the suspicions of N.N.
One evening he overheard Asya and Gagin's conversation. The girl warmly said that she did not want to love anyone but him. Gagin replied that he believed her. On the way home N.N. kept thinking, why should he pretend to be "Gagin" in front of him.
Gagin met N.N. very affectionate. But Asya, as soon as she saw him, burst out laughing without any reason and, according to her habit, immediately ran away. The conversation did not go well. N.N. decided to leave. Gagin volunteered to accompany him. “In the hallway Asya suddenly came up to me and held out her hand to me; I lightly squeezed her fingers and barely bowed to her. Gagin and I crossed the Rhine and, passing my beloved ash tree with a statue of the Madonna, sat down on a bench to admire the view. A wonderful conversation took place here between us.
At first we exchanged a few words, then fell silent, looking at the bright river. "
Gagin unexpectedly asked which N.N. opinions about Asa. Doesn't she seem to N.N. strange? The young man replied that she was indeed a little strange. Gagin began to tell Asya's story.
“My father was a very kind, intelligent, educated man - and unhappy. Fate treated him no worse than many others; but he could not bear the first blow. He married early, for love; his wife, my mother, died very soon; I stayed after her for six months. My father took me to the village and for twelve years did not go anywhere. He himself took care of my upbringing and would never have parted with me if his brother, my own uncle, had not come to our village. This uncle lived permanently in Petersburg and occupied a rather important position. He persuaded my father to give me in his arms, since my father would never agree to leave the village. My uncle introduced him that it is harmful for a boy of my age to live in perfect solitude, that with such an eternally dull and silent mentor like my father, I will certainly leave my peers behind, and my very temper can easily deteriorate. The father long resisted the admonitions of his brother, but finally gave in. I cried parting with my father; I loved him, although I never saw a smile on his face ... but when I got to Petersburg, I soon forgot our dark and gloomy nest. I entered the cadet school, and from school I transferred to the guards regiment. Every year I came to the village for several weeks and every year I found my father more and more sad, deep in himself, thoughtful to the point of shyness. He went to church every day and almost forgot how to speak. On one of my visits (I was already over twenty years old), I saw for the first time in our house a thin black-eyed girl of about ten years old - Asya. The father said that she was an orphan and was taken by him to feed - he put it that way. I didn't pay much attention to her; she was wild, agile and silent like an animal, and as soon as I entered my father's favorite room, the huge and gloomy room where my mother died and where candles were lit even during the day, she immediately hid behind his Voltaire armchair or behind a bookcase ... It so happened that in the following three or four years of service duties prevented me from visiting the village. I received a short letter from my father every month; he rarely mentioned Asa, and even then in passing. He was already over fifty years old, but he seemed still a young man. Imagine my horror: suddenly I, suspecting nothing, receive a letter from the clerk in which he informs me of my father's fatal illness and begs me to come as soon as possible if I want to say goodbye to him. I galloped at breakneck speed and found my father alive, but already with my last breath. He was extremely delighted with me, embraced me with his emaciated arms, looked me in the eyes for a long time with some sort of probing, half pleading gaze, and, taking my word that I would fulfill his last request, ordered his old valet to bring Asya. The old man brought her in: she could barely stay on her feet and trembled all over.
Here, - my father said to me with an effort, - I will bequeathed to you my daughter - your sister. You will learn everything from Yakov, ”he added, pointing to the valet.
Asya burst into tears and fell face down on the bed ... Half an hour later, my father died.
Here's what I learned. Asya was the daughter of my father and the former maid of my mother, Tatiana. I vividly remember this Tatyana, I remember her tall, slender figure, her handsome, stern, intelligent face, with large dark eyes. She was known as a proud and unapproachable girl. As far as I could understand from Yakov's respectful omissions, my father became friends with her several years after my mother's death. Tatyana no longer lived in the master's house, but in the hut of her married sister, a cowgirl. My father became very attached to her and after my departure from the village he even wanted to marry her, but she herself did not agree to be his wife, despite his requests.
The deceased Tatyana Vasilievna, - so Yakov reported to me, standing at the door with his hands thrown back, - in everything they were reasonable and did not want to offend your priest. What, they say, am I your wife? what kind of lady am I? So they were pleased to speak, they spoke in front of me, sir.
Tatyana did not even want to move to our house and continued to live with her sister, together with Asya. As a child, I saw Tatiana only on holidays, in church. Tied with a dark shawl, with a yellow shawl on her shoulders, she stood in the crowd, near the window - her stern profile was clearly cut out on the transparent glass - and humbly and importantly prayed, bowing low, in the old-fashioned way. When my uncle took me away, Asya was only two years old, and in the ninth year she lost her mother.
As soon as Tatyana died, his father took Asya to his house. He had previously expressed a desire to have her with him, but Tatyana refused him this either. Imagine what should have happened in Asa when she was taken to the master. She still cannot forget the minute when they first put on a silk dress and kissed her hand. Mother, while she was alive, held her very strictly; with her father, she enjoyed complete freedom. He was her teacher; besides him, she saw no one. He did not spoil her, that is, he did not nurse her; but he loved her passionately and never forbade her anything: in his heart he considered himself guilty before her. Asya soon realized that she was the main person in the house, she knew that the master was her father; but she realized her false position just as quickly; pride developed in her strongly, mistrust too; bad habits took root, simplicity disappeared. She wanted (she herself confessed this to me once) to make the whole world forget her origin; she was both ashamed of her mother and ashamed of her shame ... You see that she knew and knows a lot that she should not have known in her years ... But is she really to blame? Young forces were playing out in her, the blood was boiling, and not a single hand was near to guide her. Complete independence in everything! Is it easy to take it out? She wanted to be no worse than other young ladies; she threw herself on the books. What could be worthwhile? A life started incorrectly was formed incorrectly, but the heart in it did not deteriorate, the mind survived.
And so I, a twenty-year-old boy, found myself with a thirteen-year-old girl in my arms! In the first days after the death of my father, at the very sound of my voice, she had a fever, my caresses plunged her into anguish, and only little by little, little by little, did she get used to me. True, later, when she was convinced that I definitely recognize her as a sister and fell in love with her as a sister, she passionately became attached to me: not a single feeling can ever be half of her.
I brought her to Petersburg. No matter how painful it was for me to part with her, I could not live with her; I put her in one of the best guesthouses. Asya understood the need for our separation, but she began with the fact that she got sick and almost died. Then she endured it and survived at the boarding house for four years; but, contrary to my expectations, it remained almost the same as it was before. The headmistress of the boarding house often complained to me about her. "And you can't punish her," she used to say to me, "and she doesn't give in to affection." Asya was extremely understanding, she studied well, the best; but she did not want to come up to the general level, she was stubborn, looked like a beech ... I could not blame her too much: in her position she had to either be courted or be shy. Of all her friends, she got along with only one, ugly, driven and poor girl. The rest of the young ladies with whom she was brought up, mostly of good surnames, did not like her, they wound her and stabbed her as best they could; Asya was not inferior to them in hair. Once in a lesson from the law of God, the teacher spoke about vices. “Flattery and cowardice are the worst vices,” Asya said loudly. In a word, she continued on her way; only her manners have become better, although in this respect she does not seem to have done much.
Finally she was seventeen years old; it was impossible for her to stay at the boarding house any longer. I was in a pretty big trouble. Suddenly a good idea came to me: to retire, go abroad for a year or two and take Asya with me. Conceived - done; and here we are with her on the banks of the Rhine, where I try to paint, and she ... is playing pranks and oddities as before. But now I hope you don’t judge her too harshly; and although she pretends that she does not care for everything, she values everyone's opinion, yours in particular.
And Gagin again smiled his quiet smile. I squeezed his hand tightly. "
The trouble is that Asya, for no reason at all, suddenly began to assure Gagin that she only loved him, and that she would love him forever. Asya needs a hero, an extraordinary person - or a picturesque shepherd in a mountain gorge. N.N. it became easy after this conversation.
| IX |
N.N. decided to return to the Gagins' house. Now the hero understood Asya much more: her inner anxiety, inability to hold herself, desire to show off ... N.N. invited Asya to take a walk in the vineyard. She agreed at once, with a cheerful and almost submissive readiness. We talked about the mountains. Asya told N.N. that she was very glad that he had returned. When they were back in the house on the mountain, they waltzed. Asya danced beautifully, with enthusiasm. “Something soft, feminine suddenly emerged through her stern girlish appearance. For a long time then my hand felt the touch of her tender body, for a long time I heard her accelerated, close breathing, for a long time I dreamed of dark, motionless, almost closed eyes on a pale, but lively face, playfully wrapped in curls.
“Going to the Gagins the next day, I did not ask myself if I was in love with Asya, but I thought a lot about her, her fate interested me, I rejoiced at our unexpected rapprochement. I felt that only from yesterday I recognized her; until then she turned her back on me. "
Asya blushed when N.N. Walked in the room. She was not the same as yesterday. She slept badly that night, she kept thinking. I thought about whether she was interesting to people, whether she was smart ... She even asked N.N. tell her what to do so he doesn't get bored. Then Asya left.
"Does she really love me?" - I asked myself the next day, just waking up. I didn't want to look into myself. I felt that her image, the image of a "girl with a strained laugh," had squeezed into my soul and that I would not soon get rid of him. I went to JI. and stayed there all day, but saw Asya only in passing. She was not well; her head ached. She went downstairs, for a moment, with her forehead tied, pale, thin, with almost closed eyes; smiled weakly, said: "This will pass, this is nothing, everything will pass, won't it?" - and left. I felt bored and somehow sadly empty; I, however, did not want to leave for a long time and returned late, not seeing her again. "
The next morning the boy gave N.N. a note from Asya: “I must certainly see you, come today at four o'clock to the stone chapel on the road near the ruin. Today I did a great carelessness ... Come for God's sake, you will find out everything ... Tell the messenger: yes. "
| XIV |
Gagin came: “On the fourth day I surprised you with my story; today I will surprise you even more ”. He said that his sister Asya was in love with N.N.
“She says she's attached to you at first sight. That is why she cried the other day, when she assured me that, besides me, she did not want to love anyone. She imagines that you despise her, that you probably know who she is; she asked me if I had told you her story - I, of course, said no; but her sensitivity is simply terrible. She wants one thing: to leave, to leave immediately. I sat with her until morning; she took my word that we would not be here tomorrow - and then only she fell asleep. I thought, thought and decided - to talk to you. In my opinion, Asya is right: the best thing is for both of us to leave here. And I would have taken her away today, if it had not occurred to me that the thought that stopped me. Maybe ... who knows? - Do you like my sister? If so, why on earth would I take her away? So I made up my mind, casting aside any shame ... Moreover, I noticed something myself ... I decided ... to learn from you ... - Poor Gagin was embarrassed. "Excuse me, please," he added, "I'm not used to such troubles."
We agreed that in order to avoid trouble N.N. had to go on a date and honestly explain to Asya; Gagin undertook to stay at home and not pretend that he knew her note. The elder brother was going to take Asya away tomorrow.
"To marry a seventeen-year-old girl, with her disposition, how is it possible!" - I said, getting up. "
Asya was already in the small room where the meeting had been made. The girl was trembling all over and could not start a conversation.
“A thin fire ran over me with burning needles; I bent down and clung to her hand ...
There was a tremulous sound, like a broken sigh, and I felt the touch of a hand, as weak as a leaf, trembling on my hair. I looked up and saw her face. How suddenly it was transformed! The expression of fear disappeared from him, his gaze went somewhere far away and carried me along, his lips parted slightly, his forehead turned pale like marble, and the curls moved back, as if the wind had thrown them back. I forgot everything, I pulled her to me - her hand obediently obeyed, her whole body was dragged after the hand, the shawl rolled from her shoulders, and her head quietly lay on my chest, lay under my burning lips ...
Your ... - she whispered, barely audible.
Already my hands were sliding around her camp ... But suddenly the memory of Gagin, like lightning, illuminated me. "
N.N. told Asya about meeting her brother. Asya wanted to run away, but the young man stopped her. The girl said that she must definitely leave, that she asked him here just to say goodbye. N.N. said it was over, and the girl left.
Gagin went to N.N., but Asya was not at home. We decided to wait. Then, unable to bear it, they went to look for her.
N. N. returned to the house on the mountain. Asya has already returned. Gagin did not let his friend enter the door.
“Tomorrow I'll be happy! Happiness has no tomorrow; he does not have yesterday's either; it does not remember the past, does not think about the future; he has a present - and that is not a day, but a moment. "
The hero went to Cologne. Here he attacked the trail of the Gagins. They went to London. NN looked for them there, but could not find them.
“And I didn’t see them again - I didn’t see Asya. Dark rumors reached me about her, but she disappeared forever for me. I don't even know if she's clear. One day, several years later, I caught a glimpse of a woman abroad, in a railway carriage, whose face vividly reminded me of unforgettable features ... but I was probably deceived by an accidental resemblance. Asya remained in my memory the very girl I knew her at the best time of my life, as I saw her for the last time, leaning over the back of a low wooden chair. "
The story "Asya" was written by Turgenev in 1859. At this time, the writer was no longer just popular, he had a significant impact on the life of Russian society at that time.
This importance of the author is explained by the fact that he was able to notice the moral problems arising in society in the most ordinary events. These problems are also seen in the story "Asya". A summary of it will show that the plot is chosen as the simplest. in which there are experiences and regrets about the past.
"Asya", Turgenev: a summary of 1-4 chapters
A certain young man N.N. escaped from his father's house and went abroad. He did not want to extend his education there, he just wanted to see the world. A trip without a plan and purpose: he made acquaintances, watched people, and everything else interested him little.
And in one of the German towns N.N. makes acquaintance with Gagin and his sister Asya. They invite him to their home. And after the first evening N.N. remains impressed by Asya's romantic image.
Weeks passed. N.N. was a regular guest of new friends. Asya has always been different, now she is a playful child, now a well-bred young lady, now a simple Russian girl.
But once Asya stopped “playing” her roles, she was upset about something and avoided N.N., who began to suspect that Gagin and Asya were not brother and sister at all. And Gagin's story partly confirmed these assumptions.
The fact is that Asya was the daughter of Gagin's father and their servant Tatyana. After the death of his father, he takes Asya to Petersburg, but on duty he has to send her to a boarding school. Asya spends four years there, and now they are traveling abroad together.
This story makes N.N feel better at heart. Returning to his place, he asks the carrier to let the boat down the river. Everything around, and the sky, and the stars, and water, everything is alive for him and has its own soul.
The story "Asya": a summary of 5-9 chapters
When next time N.N. comes to the Gagins' house, then finds Asya somewhat pensive. She says she thought a lot about her "bad" upbringing.
She does not know how to sew beautifully, does not play the piano and those around her are undoubtedly bored with her. She is interested in what men value most in women, and N.N. would be upset if she suddenly dies.
N.N. surprised by such a question, and Asya demands that he always be frank with her. Gagin sees Asya's dejection and offers to play a waltz, but today she is not in the mood to dance.
The story "Asya": a summary of 10-14 chapters
N.N. wanders aimlessly through the city. Suddenly some boy hands him a note from Asya. She writes that she must see him. The appointment is near the chapel.
N.N. returns home. At this time, Gagin comes and informs him that Asya is in love with him. Gagin asks if N.N. his sister. He answers in the affirmative, but now he is not ready to marry.
Gagin asks N.N to go on a date with his sister and honestly explain to her. After Gagin leaves, N.N. suffers, he does not know what to do. But in the end he decides that there is no way to marry a young girl with such a disposition.
The story "Asya": a summary of 15-19 chapters
Asya changed her meeting place, now it is Frau Louise's house. Despite his decision, N.N. gives in to Asya's charm, he kisses her, hugs her. Then he remembers Gagin and begins to reproach the girl that she told her brother everything, that she did not allow their feelings to develop.
Asya cries, falls to her knees, the young man tries to calm her down. The girl breaks free and quickly runs away from him. N.N. angry with himself, wanders the fields, regrets that he lost such a beautiful girl.
At night, he goes to the Gagins and learns that Asya did not return home. They go in search of her, disperse in different directions. N.N. reproaches herself, thinks that Asya has done something to herself. The search gives no result, and he comes to the Gagins' house.
There he learns that Asya has returned after all. He wants to ask Gagin for Asya's hand, but the time is late, and he postpones his proposal. On the way home, NN looks forward to future happiness. He stops under a tree and listens to the nightingale singing.
Summary: "Asya" Turgenev 20-22 chapters
In the morning, N.N. hurries to the Gagins' house. He is full of happiness, but he sees that the windows are open, there is no one, the Gagins have left. He is given a note from Asya. In it, she writes that she will never see him again. And if yesterday he had said even one word to her, she would undoubtedly have stayed. But he didn't say anything, which means she'd better leave.
NN searched for the Gagins for a long time, he followed them everywhere, but he could not find them. And although later he thought that with such a wife he would not be happy anyway, he never had such a feeling again.
Name: Asya
Genre: The story
Duration: 10min 06sec
Annotation:
The narrator, N.N., recalls the time when he was 25 years old. He went abroad to see the world. He settled in the town of Z. on the banks of the Rhine. Once, at a festival of students, he met the Russians: Gagin and his sister Asya.
They begin to communicate closely. Soon N. begins to suspect that Asya is not Gagin's sister. Once Gagin revealed to him the whole truth about their family. His mother died early. Gagin himself was raised in St. Petersburg by his uncle. And Gagin's father remained in the village. As an adult, Gagin learned from his father that he had a half-sister, Anna (Asya). This is his father's illegitimate child from a former maid.
Soon the father died, and Asya remained in the care of her brother. Gagin asks N. if he likes Asya. And he gets a positive answer. Asya is also in love with N. and is ready for deep feelings. However, N. is unlikely to dare to marry an emotional girl with such an unpredictable character, from whom one can expect anything. He does not feel capable of such a step. He honestly tells Gagin about this. And Gagin decides to take Asya away. When N. learns that the Gagins have left, he tries to find them. He finds traces of them now in Cologne, then in London. However, he did not manage to meet with them.
Over time, N. realizes that it is good that everything has turned out that way. He understands that with such a wife he would hardly be happy. However, he never married anyone. And for many years he continues to keep notes from Asya and a dried flower, once given by her.
I.S. Turgenev - Asya. Listen to short audio content online.