Mysterious Cordelia: who was it that Ilya Oblomov saw in his dreams?

Abstract

The article seeks to prove the hypothesis about intentional semantic references to Kierkegaard’s The Seducer’s Diary (part of his Either/Ortractate) in Ivan Goncharov’s Oblomov. In order to substantiate the suggestion, the author begins by analyzing the image of Cordelia, to whom Oblomov compares Olga, his own love interest. While not completely dismissing the traditional interpretation of this allusion (as Shakespeare’s Cordelia from King Lear), the author argues that the image might refer to the Cordelia from the Diary. Further comparing the two works, she discovers similarities in Goncharov’s and Kierkegaard’s philosophical agenda, which opens a new way for Oblomov’s interpretation. Just as Kierkegaard, the Russian novelist is exploring the relationship between the manipulative seducer (in a broad sense) and his prey. The seductive Stoltz is forcing his philosophy on Olga and Oblomov, claiming it to be the only truth. Finally, Olga gives in to it and ends up confused about her own feelings. Oblomov, by contrast, emerges as a victor rather than victim: he defies the alien influence and finds happiness, albeit too late in life. The covert allusions suggest the possibility for ambiguous interpretation of the novel: as a story of a man’s degradation and a philosophical statement about integrity and the right to choose one’s own destiny.