Cover of The Peasant Proprietor Ovsyanikov by Ivan Turgenev Ebook The Peasant Proprietor Ovsyanikov
Ebook · Sovereign

The Peasant Proprietor Ovsyanikov

Author
Ivan Turgenev
Series
Turgenev Stories
Language
English
Length
26 pages
ISBN
9781787241596
Published
6 February 2017
Imprint
Sovereign
  • peasant
  • proprietor
  • Russia
  • social class
  • serfdom
  • redemption
  • landowner
  • reform
  • responsibility
  • rural life

Description

The story follows the life of Stepan Ovsyanikov, a peasant who has recently become a landowner. Stepan, who was once a serf, is now the proud owner of a small estate. Despite his newfound freedom, Stepan's life is far from easy. He struggles to manage his land and make ends meet, and his relationships with his family members are strained. As the story unfolds, we see Stepan grappling with the responsibilities that come with landownership. He tries to be a good landlord to his serfs, but he is also forced to collect rent from them in order to pay off his own debts. Meanwhile, his son Vasya, who has been educated in the city, has grown distant from his father and sees his new status as a landowner as a burden.

Author

Ivan Turgenev (1818–1883) grew up on a wealthy Russian estate, studied at the universities of Moscow, St Petersburg, and Berlin, and later settled largely in France. A Sportsman's Sketches revealed the intelligence and dignity of serfs through apparently effortless country scenes; Fathers and Sons caught the rift between liberal parents and their impatient, nihilist heirs.