Fathers and Sons

Fathers and Sons

Fathers and Sons , first published in 1862 by famed Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev, is widely considered a major secondary source on the wide 19th-century phenomenon of Russian nihilism. The central conflict of the plot is the tension between Eugene Bazarov and Arkady Bazarov, and their respective families. Arkady and Eugene are vocal advocates of the new nihilism which puts them at odds with their parents' generation. Their rejection of feelings and generally stoic attitudes makes forming connections difficult and even impacts Bazarov's ability to form romantic connections. While the book is largely critical of the nihilist movement, it offers some insight at least into how it was perceived by contemporaries and can be seen as having significant historical value.