Rudin

Interesting Facts

• The main character, Dmitry Rudin, is a typical representative of the intelligentsia of his time, who talks a lot about high ideals but does little in practice.
• The novel was written in 1855, during a period when Turgenev was influenced by the ideas of Westernizers and Slavophiles.
• Rudin is considered one of Turgenev's first works where he explores the theme of the 'superfluous man'—an educated but socially useless individual.
• The prototype for the main character was the famous philosopher and public figure Mikhail Bakunin.
• The novel received mixed reviews from critics: some saw it as a deep psychological analysis, while others considered it a superficial portrayal of the characters.
• The work raises important questions of the time: the role of the intelligentsia in society, the problem of personal responsibility, and the search for the meaning of life.
• "Rudin" was Turgenev's first major work that brought him fame and recognition in literary circles.