Background An Uncommon Story

ivan goncharov

in mid-1850s, ivan goncharov , ivan turgenev on friendly terms. goncharov, d launched career in spectacular fashion , declared true nikolay gogol heir , had no serious rival novelist on russian literary scene until late 1850s; fyodor dostoyevsky still in exile, leo tolstoy writing novelets , short stories, , turgenev considered master of miniatures.

the success of home of gentry must have come surprise goncharov, d never considered turgenev novelist. in letter dated march 28, 1859, wrote: permissible me comment on talent? d ve got gift drawing tender landscapes, , have keen ear, seem eager erect monumental structures [...] , give drama. goncharov s opinion seemingly never altered.

literary historians argued later turgenev s overnight success might have seemed totally undeserved goncharov, who, quite while, felt master of field. goncharov produced 1 novel in decade, new rival did in seemingly fleeting manner, must have made injustice more gross.

of possible explanations improbable manner in turgenev, master of miniatures, have re-invented himself novelist, 1 goncharov looked plausible: younger man must have nicked own ideas, structures, conflicts, , character types, , these pearls started play own lyre.

some commentators later dismissed such claims borne out of jealousy, aggravated goncharov s natural suspiciousness, impressionability, , general hypochondria. others argued have been simple explanation, while many of goncharov s allegations far-fetched, not altogether groundless. @ least 1 fact undisputed: in 1855, having returned long sea voyage, goncharov laid out before turgenev, friend, whole plan of future third novel, has conceived far 1849.

ivan turgenev

in 1887, 4 years after turgenev s death, goncharov attached note novel s original text, read: manuscript contains material novel in 1869, vestnik evropy publish it, gave title precipice. before used refer raisky, artist , freely expounding upon fellow writers, turgenev. him in 1855, after returning around-the-world journey, recounted in detail, in course of several meetings, details of [...] because he, being perceptive , sensitive man of art, seemed sympathetic of works promised great future for.

judging goncharov , turgenev s correspondence, in mid-1850s, 2 men close. goncharov valued turgenev well-educated, clever critic impeccable literary taste. in uncommon story wrote: once turgenev told me briefly: long 1 single russian remains on earth, oblomov remembered... time, reading him form chapters ve written in petersburg, rose divan , departed bedroom. old sparrow am, touched me tears , said upon return, wiping eyes.

tellingly, turgenev prompted minor detail oblomov, namely, in scene olga , schtoltz converse in switzerland. goncharov acknowledged turgenev s priority in discovering nihilism , , admitted there historical , artistic authenticity bazarov s character. in late 1850s relations between 2 apparently deteriorated, , in march 1860 things came head.

accusations of plagiarism

prior publication of home of gentry, goncharov took opportunity acquainted original text @ recitals held turgenev circle of friends. pointed author many ideas, fragments of plotline , situations looked ve been copied precipice, novel yet unpublished familiar turgenev in every detail. on march 27, 1860, goncharov reminded turgenev in letter: remember, there time when agreed general plan of novel , characters interactions had been similar [to of mine]; excluded 1 scene, similar mine, made me feel totally satisfied. in letter, dated march 28, goncharov specified scene similar involved vera , grandmother (in precipice), which, being weak 1 , had been magnanimously sacrificed turgenev. scene mentioned absent final version of home of gentry, references have been found in rough copies of novel; corroborated goncharov s claim turgenev indeed had been making cuts make parallels less obvious. according n. budanova, important bear in mind parallels between 2 novels see , turgenev @ 1 point conceded much, blaming over-impressionability this.

on march 29, 1860, in critic stepan dudyshkin s flat arbitrary court took place, pavel annenkov, alexander druzhinin , aleksandr nikitenko present. court s verdict conciliatory: since both turgenev s , goncharov s novels have had ground same soil of russian reality, similarities , coincidences, in ideas , phraseology, natural , both writers excusable. after goncharov , turgenev stopped communicating. in 1864, @ druzhinin s funeral, made peace never became friends again, if turgenev in 1 of letters mentioned feeling close goncharov. turgenev s new novels appearing 1 after another, goncharov becoming more , more resentful, apparently seeing worst suspicions confirmed.

the manuscript

the original manuscript, notebook, consisting of 53 pages, held in russian national library, according n.budanova, looks rough copy s never been revisited author, lots of edits, fragments blotted out unreconstructable. notebook consists of 2 parts, written in different times. part 1, uncommon story (true facts), pages 1–50, dated december 1875 , january 1876. author s commentary reads:

hereby express my ancestors or whoever hold of manuscript, extract , make public whatever feel necessary [...] if, through turgenev’s efforts, or otherwise, notion (based on similarities between novel , of turgenev , west european authors) should become prevalent in press me had borrowed them , not vice versa, , following other people s steps. [otherwise]... manuscript burnt down or transferred imperial public library use of future historians of russian literature.

part 2, pages 51–53, dated july 1878, had note attached it: ve sealed previous fifty pages in envelope finished. in course of last 2.5 years lots of things have happened related case , see that, having once started, need continue... there inscription on envelope: these papers have me personally, commit sophia aleksandrovna nikitenko deal them asked to. ivan goncharov, may 19, 1883 .