On the Eve [Paperback]

Ivan Turgenev (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

On one of the hottest days of the summer of 1853, in the shade of a tall lime-tree on the bank of the river Moskva, not far from Kuntsovo, two young men were lying on the grass. One, who looked about twenty-three, tall and swarthy, with a sharp and rather crooked nose, a high forehead, and a restrained smile on his wide mouth, was lying on his back and gazing meditatively into the distance, his small grey eyes half closed. The other was lying on his chest, his curly, fair head propped on his two hands; he, too, was looking away into the distance. He was three years older than his companion, but seemed much younger. His moustache was only just growing, and his chin was covered with a light curly down. There was something childishly pretty, some-thing attractively delicate, in the small features of his fresh round face, in his soft brown eyes, lovely pouting lips, and little white hands. Everything about him was suggestive of the happy light-heartedness of perfect health and youth-the carelessness, conceit, self-indulgence, and charm of youth. He used his eyes, and smiled and leaned his head as boys do who know that people look at them admiringly. He wore a loose white coat, made like a blouse, a blue kerchief wrapped his slender throat, and a battered straw hat had been flung on the grass beside him.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Novel by Ivan Turgenev, published in Russian as Nakanune in 1860. It is a major work concerning love amid a time of war and revolutionary social change. Set in 1853, On the Eve deals with the problems facing the younger intelligentsia on the eve of the Crimean War and speculates on the outcome of the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. Elena, its principal character, is a charming yet serious-minded, morally courageous young woman. Her concern for justice finds no outlet in her small circle of family and friends until she is introduced to the young Bulgarian patriot Insarov, whose idealism matches her own and who becomes Elena's companion and the catalyst for the changes in her life. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Russian --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: 1st World Publishing (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421893444
• ISBN-13: 978-1421893440
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,660,605 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of Turgenev's best love stories, August 26, 2000

By 

"mikeu3" - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Eve (Classics) (Paperback)

On the Eve deals with the friendships and love affairs between a twenty-year old provincial Russian woman named Elena and a number of men in her social circle: the young artist Shubin; the intellectual Berzeniev; and, ultimately, Berzeniev's friend, the Bulgarian revolutionary Insarov. Though Berzeniev is in love with Elena, he introduces her to Insarov (who Berzeniev describes as the only interesting man he's met at the university), and Insarov and Elena rather quickly fall in love and secretly marry. Elena's parents, particularly her father, don't care much for the impoverished foreigner that their daughter loves, especially since they've recently found her a nice Russian man for a fiance. Worse still, the start of the Crimean War ("on the eve" of which the novel is set) will force Elena to leave her parents and join Insarov in Bulgaria if she is to stay with him.

In addition to being an interesting love story in its own right, On the Eve develops a couple of themes often seen elsewhere in Turgenev's work (and also that of some other Russian authors around the same time). In the conflict between Elena and her parents, we see shades of the generational conflict that Turgenev would develop very well two years later in Fathers and Sons. The fact that the only man who can thoroughly win Elena's heart is a Bulgarian (as well as comment by Berzeniev about Insarov mentioned above) reflects the aimlessness and superfluity that so often shows up among Russian men in the literature of this time period (e.g., Turgenev's Rudin). While Shubin has his art and Berzeniev his historical studies, Insarov is driven by a cause (the freedom of the Bulgarian people) that is deeper than anything that Russian men were pursuing at the time and accordingly makes him a more intriguing character.

The novel did read, for me at least, a little slowly at first, and I found that some of the characters (Shubin in particular) weren't much more than cliched archetypes when they could have been fleshed out a little better. However, On the Eve is definitely one of Turgenev's better works and was all in all a worthwhile read.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Death Nixes Starry-Eyed Duos Amour, June 11, 2004

By 

Robert S. Newman "Bob Newman" (Marblehead, Massachusetts USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On the Eve a Novel (Hardcover)

I've never read a novel with a Bulgarian hero before, so this was a first. If you haven't read any Turgenev, you should. You should, that is, if you like idealistic romances between young people who lack all the cynicism and worldliness of our times or even Balzac's France. Turgenev's heroes and heroines shine in the dark, they're so good. But the brilliantly-drawn, humorous characters surrounding the pure main protagoniste are created with such skill that 144 years after this novel first saw daylight, Turgenev could still get a few laughs out of me.

Idealistic, but drifting, Elena is being courted by both an overserious student (known in our times as a `geek') and a budding sculptor who devotes himself mainly to wine, women, and if not song, at least to unorganized messing around. The geek doesn't "get it". The sculptor easily sees through everyone, but is less talented in holding onto anything substantial that comes his way. Elena's parents are weak, her relatives entirely unprepossessing. Her father tries to marry her off to a rather sharp bureaucrat with polished manners. Enter our Bulgarian champion, who only wants to liberate his homeland from the Turks. Elena falls for him and the rest, while not history, is quite predictable. No, this love story is not unique, nor is it extremely complicated.

ON THE EVE is a great novel because of Turgenev's style---that seemingly artless, light, flowing prose. Turgenev is one of the eternal masters, no doubt. The world will probably never see his like again. A Turgenev novel resembles a Mozart piano concerto. It looks so easy, sounds so simple, but it is total genius. I recently re-read this novel and found it just as good the second time. What a shame that only two others have reviewed it !

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Melancholy but not a Sad Story, July 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: On the Eve (Classics) (Paperback)

Though its' a very old book still worth reading. It was interesting to read gradual building-up of character - Insarov. The end of Insarov was a melancholy. I think Turgenev had tried to shape his own views in the form of Insarov.How Insarov becomes so soft in front of Elena is also beautiful. This book depicts the frustrations, struggle,revolution,parents' dilemma and love all together in the form of this great story of Insarov & Elena. You can't stop your tears while reading the helplessness of Elena on gradual ending of Insarov. Really a legendary work ! Worth reading many times !