Ivan Turgenev

Richard Peace (University of Bristol)
Download PDF Add to Bookshelf Report an Error

Of all the classic novelists of Russia’s nineteenth century, Turgenev is considered to be the one most readily accessible to the western reader. Not only did he spend much of his life in Western Europe – in Germany and later in France, but he also had close connections with Flaubert in Paris, as well as with Zola, Edmond de Goncourt and Daudet. Turgenev championed their works in Russia and, as well as more informal contacts, they met as a group dining together once a month. In terms of his social and artistic

milieu

, Turgenev could almost be categorised as a French writer.

Turgenev also had English connections, principally through his translator, William Ralston. The idea for his novel Ottsy i deti [Fathers and Children, or Fathers and Sons] was conceived during a visit to the Isle of

2389 words

Citation: Peace, Richard. "Ivan Turgenev". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 September 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4475, accessed 19 March 2024.]

4475 Ivan Turgenev 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

Save this article

If you need to create a new bookshelf to save this article in, please make sure that you are logged in, then go to your 'Account' here

Leave Feedback

The Literary Encyclopedia is a living community of scholars. We welcome comments which will help us improve.