“American-Style Man of Real Action”: the Image of Vasily Solomin in I. S. Turgenev’ Novel “Virgin Soil”.

Abstract

The article focuses on the American topic in Turgenev's works. The rise of the diverse image of America drawn by Turgenev is shown in vast framework of what generally was thought about the New World in middle of XIXth century Russia. The author shows certain intersections that existed between the Russian Empire and the United States in the XIXth century, which determines the interest of these countries in each other. Turgenev's interest in the literature and culture of the United States was due not only to the personal tastes of the writer, but also to the general enthusiasm for the New World in Russian society of that time. The main point is the character of “postepenovets” Solomin from the novel Virgin soil. This character comprises several aspects of the major idea of a typical American shared by Russian society in XIXth century. The profound analysis of this last Turgenev's novel lets us to state that the American narrative interests Turgenev due to the new concept of developing Russia from below. Solomin, an American-style "man of real business" is shown like a hero, who can act in the prevailing historical conditions in Russia.