What was Stolz wearing? Characteristics of Andrei Stolts in the novel “Oblomov”: description of appearance, character, origin in quotes

Image of Andrey Stolts

Who is Stolz? Goncharov does not force the reader to puzzle over this question. The first two chapters of the second part contain a detailed account of Stolz’s life and the conditions in which his active character was formed. “Stolz was only half German, on his father’s side; his mother was Russian; He professed the Orthodox faith, his native speech was Russian...” Goncharov first tries to show that Stolz is more Russian than German: after all, the most important thing is that his faith and language are the same as those of the Russians. But the further he goes, the more the qualities of a German begin to emerge in him: independence, perseverance in achieving his goals, frugality.

Stolz's unique character was formed under the influence of two forces - soft and hard, at the junction of two cultures - Russian and German. From his father he received a “hard-working, practical upbringing,” and his mother introduced him to beauty and tried to instill in little Andrei’s soul a love of art and beauty. His mother “seemed the ideal of a gentleman in her son,” and his father accustomed him to hard, not at all lordly, work.

Practical intelligence, love of life, and courage helped Stolz achieve success after he left at the insistence of his father to study in St. Petersburg...

According to Goncharov, Stolz is a new type of Russian progressive figure. However, he does not depict the hero in a specific activity. The author only informs the reader about what Stolz has been and what he has achieved. He “served, retired... went about his business,... made a house and money,... learned Europe as his estate,... saw Russia up and down,... travels into the world.”

If we talk about Stolz’s ideological position, he “sought for a balance of practical aspects with the subtle needs of the spirit.” Stolz could control his feelings and was “afraid of every dream.” Happiness for him lay in consistency. According to Goncharov, he “knew the value of rare and expensive properties and spent them so sparingly that he was called an egoist, insensitive...”. In a word, Goncharov created the kind of hero that Russia has long lacked. For the author, Stolz is the force that is capable of reviving Oblomovism and destroying Oblomovism. In my opinion, Goncharov somewhat idealizes the image of Stolz, setting him up as an example to the reader as an impeccable person. But by the end of the novel it turns out that salvation did not come to Russia with the advent of Stolz. Dobrolyubov explains this by saying that “now there is no soil for them” in Russian society. For more productive activities of the Stolts, it is necessary to reach some compromise with the Oblomovs. This is why Andrei Stolts takes Ilya Ilyich’s son into custody.

Stolz is certainly the antipode of Oblomov. Every character trait of the first is a sharp protest against the qualities of the second. Stolz loves life - Oblomov often falls into apathy; Stolz has a thirst for activity; for Oblomov, the best activity is relaxing on the couch. The origins of this opposition are in the education of heroes. Reading the description of the life of little Andrei, you involuntarily compare it with the life of Ilyusha. Thus, already at the very beginning of the novel, two completely different characters, two life paths appear before the reader...

In Ivan Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” there are many storylines. The variety of characters helps to better understand the meaning that the author puts into the work.

The image and characterization of Stolz with quotes prove that success is achieved by those who confidently move towards their own goals, without fear of difficulties.

Childhood and literacy

Stolz Andrei Ivanovich was born into a family of a German and a Russian noblewoman. His father was a manager in the village of Verkhlevo, he ran a local boarding house, where Andryusha met young Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. They soon became inseparable friends.

“Russian was a natural speech” Stolz, he learned it from his mother, from books, and adopted many words from peasants and village boys. Parents early began to introduce their son to all kinds of sciences.

“From the age of eight, the boy sat over geographical maps, learned Bible verses, Krylov’s fables.”

When he “looked up from the instructions,” he ran to the neighbor’s kids.

He stayed on the street until late at night, destroyed birds' nests, and often got into fights. The mother complained to her husband that:

“Not a day goes by without a boy returning without a blue spot, and the other day he breaks his nose.”

Despite his violent temper, he never lost his talent for learning. When he played the piano four hands with his mother, she instantly forgot about the bad behavior of her beloved son.

From the age of fourteen, the father began to send his son to the city on certain errands.

“It never happened that the boy forgot, overlooked, changed things up, made a mistake.” Mother did not like this kind of “work discipline”.

The woman dreamed of seeing her son as a gentleman, and not as a farmer with working hands.

Appearance

Andrei Ivanovich was the same age as his friend Ilya Oblomov. The author compares him to a thoroughbred English horse. It seemed that he was composed only of nerves and muscles. Stolz was thin. He was missing "a sign of fatty roundness".

On a dark face, green eyes looked very expressive. The gaze was sharp. Absolutely no detail escaped him. Ilya Oblomov enviously tells his friend that he exudes masculinity and health, because he “is not fat and does not have styes.”

Attitude to work. Financial situation

Andrey was persistent.

“He stubbornly walked along his chosen path. I haven't seen anyone think painfully about anything. Didn’t get lost in difficult circumstances.”

From childhood he was accustomed to any kind of work. After he resigned, he decided to start his own business. Thanks to this, I managed to acquire a house and money. “He is involved in a company that ships goods overseas.” Colleagues respect him and treat him with confidence.

Andrey's life is continuous movement. If work requires you to go abroad, then they definitely send him.

“When there is a need in society to visit Belgium or England, they send Stolz, it is necessary to write a project or adapt a new idea to the case, they choose him.”

This kind of enterprise helped him:

“from the parents’ forty, make three hundred thousand capital.”

To Ilya Oblomov’s assurances that one cannot devote one’s whole life to work, he replies that such a thing is possible. He cannot imagine himself being idle.

“I will never stop working. Labor is the goal, the element and the way of life.”

Lives on a budget, without frills.

“I tried to spend every ruble, with vigilant control over time and labor, the strength of the soul and heart.”

Friendship and love.

Stolz was a loyal and reliable comrade. He became friends with Oblomov when he was a teenager. Together they studied at the boarding school, where Andrei’s father was in charge. The guys were already very different in their aspirations.

Ilya did not like science. But when he developed a passion for poetry, Andryusha began to bring him all kinds of books from home, just to develop his knowledge.

“Stolz’s son spoiled Ilyusha, giving him lessons and doing many translations for him.”

Years later, he never ceases to support Oblomov. He claims that he is a close person to him.

“Closer than any relative: I studied and grew up with him.”

Andrey will always selflessly support his comrade. Ilya happily awaits his visit and trusts him with all his affairs, including financial ones. Stolz would come soon! He writes that it will be coming soon. He would have sorted it out. When Oblomov has serious problems with the estate, his friend himself offers to help restore order there; he understands that the estate manager is deceiving Ilya Ilyich. He does everything competently.

Even after Oblomov’s death, he never ceases to show concern for his loved ones. He sends his wife Agafya Pshenitsyna the money that the estate brings. He takes the son of his late comrade into his home.

“Andryusha was asked to be raised by Stolz and his wife. Now they consider him a member of their own family.”

Love.

Andrei Ivanovich was careful in relationships with the opposite sex.

“Among my hobbies, I felt the ground under my feet and enough strength to break free in case of emergency. I was not blinded by beauty, I did not lie at the feet of beauties.”

They had a long-standing friendship with Olga Ilyinskaya. The man was older than her and perceived her acquaintance as a child.

“In his eyes I was a charming, promising child.”

After a painful break in relations with Oblomov, Olga and her aunt go abroad. They will meet Andrey in Paris, and will never part again.

Andrey will try in every possible way to brighten up her loneliness in a foreign city.

“Having covered it with notes and albums, Stolz calmed down, believing that he had filled his friend’s leisure time for a long time, and went to work.”

Soon they leave for Switzerland together. Here he becomes even more convinced that he cannot live without Olga.

The man is in love with her.

“During these six months, all the tortures of love, from which he so carefully guarded himself in relationships with women, played out over him.”

Having confessed his sincere feelings to her, he finds out that she feels reciprocity for him. Soon the lovers get married and have children.

The family lives amicably and happily. The widow of the late Ilya Ilyich Oblomov comes to visit them to visit her son Andryushka. The woman understands that their feelings are sincere. “Both existences, Olga and Andrey, merged into one channel. Everything was harmony and silence with them.”

The characterization of Stolz - one of the main characters of the famous novel by Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov "Oblomov" - can be perceived ambiguously. This man is the bearer of the raznochinsky mentality, which is new for Russia. Probably, the classic initially wanted to create in his appearance a domestic analogue of the image of Jane Eyre.

Origin of Stolz

Andrei Ivanovich Stolts is the son of a clerk. His father Ivan Bogdanovich came to Russia from Germany. Before that, he tried to find a job in Russia, but he got a job managing a farm, where he scrupulously and skillfully managed the estate and kept records. He raised his son quite harshly. He worked for him from a young age, was a “personal driver” - he drove a spring cart when his father went to the city, to the fields, to the factory, to the merchants. The elder Stolz encouraged his son when he fought with the boys. Teaching science in the village of Verkhlevo for the children of landowners, he gave a thorough education to his Andryusha. Stolz’s mother was Russian, so Russian became his native language, and by faith he was Orthodox.

Of course, Stolz and Oblomov, who cannot organize his life, will clearly not be in favor of the latter.

Career

The young German graduated from college brilliantly. He made a career at work. Goncharov tells in snatches of other people’s phrases. In particular, we learn about the rank of Andrei Stolts from the phrase that in his service he “passed beyond the court.” Turning to the table of ranks, we find that the “court councilor” is the chairman of the court court, and is equal in rank to a lieutenant colonel. Thus, Andrei Stolts is a lawyer by training and earned a colonel’s pension. This is what the novel “Oblomov” tells us. The characterization of Stolz shows the predominance of a business streak in his character.

After retiring, the thirty-year-old man took up commercial activities in a trading company. And here he had good career prospects. At work, he was entrusted with responsible missions related to business trips to Europe and the development of new company projects. The business characterization of Stolz given by the novel is thorough and promising. Over the course of a couple of years of working in a trading company, he had already managed to profitably invest 40 thousand rubles of his father’s capital and turn it into 300 thousand rubles. For him, the prospect of making a million-dollar fortune is real.

Close people

Stolz has a spirit of camaraderie and cooperation. He spends time and energy to snatch his friend Oblomov from the web of laziness, tries to arrange his life by introducing him to a wonderful girl, Olga Ilyinskaya. Only when Oblomov refused to continue acquaintance with her, Stolz, having considered what a treasure Olga was, began to court her. The scammers who tried to completely ruin the careless Ilya Ilyich Oblomov finally had to deal with him - tough, insightful. He also pronounces the word that has become a household word - “Oblomovism.” After the illness and death of Ilya Ilyich, the Stoltsy spouses take his son Andryusha to raise him.

Conclusions based on Stolz's image

At the same time, it should be recognized that the author’s characterization of Stolz is the only flaw in the plot of the novel, as Goncharov himself confirmed. According to the plan, Andrei Ivanovich should have turned out to be an ideal person of the future, organically combining pragmatism with his father’s genes, and, inherited from his mother, artistic taste and aristocracy. In reality, the result was the type of bourgeoisie emerging in Russia: active, purposeful, unable to dream. Chekhov was critical of him, agreeing with the negative characterization that flashed in the novel - “a purged beast.” Anton Pavlovich debunked Stolz in the press as a man of the future, and Nikolai Aleksandrovich Dobrolyubov agreed with him. It is obvious that Goncharov’s characterization of Stolz went too far with rationality and commitment to rational thinking. These qualities in a normal, living person should not be hypertrophied to such an extent.

Andrei Ivanovich Stolts has been communicating with Oblomov since childhood and has become his close friend. By character he is a man of action, a practitioner, and by origin he is half German. Stolz's mother is a Russian noblewoman. For all his rationalism, Stolz has a good disposition. The hero is honest, understands people, and at the same time tends to calculate every action and approach everything in life from the side of practical benefit. Stolz was written out as an antipode to Oblomov and should, according to the author’s plan, be perceived as a role model.

Stolz is married to a noblewoman, a woman with whom Oblomov is in love. Olga loved Oblomov at first, but broke up with him. Oblomov was listless and dreamy, before proposing to Olga, he thought a lot and retreated.

Stolz at times brings Oblomov out of his apathy and makes him remember about life, encourages him to get down to business, invest in the establishment of schools, building roads, but Oblomov brushes aside such ideas.

Ilya Oblomov is taken advantage of by scammers, the hero’s affairs and economy pass into their hands, and he himself plunges into even greater inactivity than usual. When Oblomov hears rumors about his own upcoming wedding, the hero is horrified because nothing has been decided for him yet. During this period, Olga visits the hero and, seeing him in such a weak-willed and pitiful state, breaks off this relationship. This is where the love story between Olga and Oblomov ends.

The heroine is not going to get involved in a new relationship, but Stolz convinces Olga that the first relationship turned out to be a mistake and only laid the foundation for a new love - for him, Stolz. Olga appreciates hard work and determination in Stolz - something that she did not see in Oblomov. And she trusts her husband unlimitedly, “like a mother.”

Stolz holds progressive (for that time) views on the role of women in society. According to the hero, a woman is called upon to make a contribution to public life, educating worthy citizens, and for this she herself must be well educated. Stolz studies with his wife, teaches her science, and these activities bring the spouses even closer together. Stolz argues heatedly with his wife and is surprised at Olga's intelligence.

Stolz saves Oblomov from the clutches of scammers who would otherwise have robbed him completely. Later, Oblomov names his son after Stoltz, who is born to him from a woman from the bureaucratic environment, a landlady with whom Oblomov goes to live. Due to a sedentary lifestyle, Oblomov suffers an early stroke, and Stolz visits a sick friend. During this visit, Oblomov asks Stolz, in the name of friendship, to look after his little son Andrei. When Oblomov dies two years later, the Stolts take his son to be raised.

Image

Stolz is in his early thirties. The hero's appearance emphasizes his character - he is strong, thin, muscular, with high cheekbones, and there is no excess fat on his body. Goncharov compares the hero to a “blooded English horse.” Stolz has greenish eyes, the hero is dark-skinned, calm in his movements as well as in character. The hero is not characterized by excessive facial expressions, sharp gestures or fussiness.

Stolz's father, a German, came from the burghers and was not a nobleman. The boy was raised in the traditions of the burghers - he was taught to work and practical activities, which Andrei’s mother, a Russian noblewoman, did not like. My father studied geography with Andrey. The hero learned to read from the texts of German writers and biblical verses, and from a young age he helped his father in business, summing up accounts. Later he began to work as a tutor in a small boarding house set up by his father, and for this he received a salary like an ordinary artisan.

By the age of fourteen, the hero already went to the city alone on errands for his father and carried out his assignments exactly, without mistakes, errors or bouts of forgetfulness. Andrei's father forbade his mother to interfere with the boy's activity and keep him with him. Stolz grew up active and was often absent from home for a long time. The young man received a good university education and speaks Russian and German equally well. At the same time, the hero continues to study throughout his life and constantly strives to learn new things.

Stolz did not receive nobility at birth, but soon rose to the rank of court councilor, which gave the hero the right to personal nobility. He does not move further up the career ladder, but leaves the service to engage in trade. The company in which Stolz invested is engaged in the export of goods. Andrei was able to increase his father’s fortune many times over, turning forty thousand in capital into three hundred, and bought a house.

Stolz travels a lot and rarely stays at home for long. The hero traveled the length and breadth of Russia, visited abroad, studied at foreign universities and studied Europe “as if it were his own estate.” At the same time, Stolz is no stranger to social interaction, attends parties, and knows how to play the piano; interested in science, news and “all life.”

Characteristics of Stolz

The hero is restless, cheerful, firm and even stubborn. Always takes an active position: “if society needs to send an agent to Belgium or England, they send him; you need to write some project or adapt a new idea to business - they choose it.” Stolz's time is clearly planned, he does not waste a minute.

At the same time, the hero knows how to restrain unwanted impulses and remain within the boundaries of natural, rational behavior, controls his own feelings well and does not rush to extremes. Stolz is not inclined to blame others for his own failures and easily takes responsibility for the suffering and troubles that have occurred.

In contrast to Oblomov, the hero does not like to dream, avoids fantasies and everything that cannot be analyzed or applied in practice. Stolz knows how to live within his means, is prudent, is not prone to unjustified risks, and at the same time easily navigates difficult or unfamiliar circumstances. These qualities, coupled with determination, make the hero a good businessman. Stolz loves order in affairs and things, and navigates Oblomov’s affairs better than Oblomov himself.

Actors

The novel "Oblomov" was filmed in 1979. The director of the film entitled “A few days in the life of I. I. Oblomov” was, and the role of Andrei Stolts was played by the actor. Stolz in the film is depicted as a cheerful and active person, as he is presented in Goncharov’s novel.

At the same time, the actor admitted that he rather saw himself in the image of Oblomov, and Stolz, whose role Bogatyrev had to play, was in character the complete opposite of the actor himself.

The word “Oblomovism,” which became a household word after the release of the novel, was first heard from Stolz as a characteristic of Oblomov’s lifestyle. This word denoted a tendency toward laziness, apathy, and stagnation in business. In a word, what we would now call “procrastination.”

Quotes

“Labor is the image, content, element and purpose of life. At least mine."

“Life and work itself are the goal of life, not a woman.”

“Man is created to arrange himself and even change his nature.”

In Ivan Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” there are many storylines. The variety of characters helps to better understand the meaning that the author puts into the work.

The image and characterization of Stolz with quotes prove that success is achieved by those who confidently move towards their own goals, without fear of difficulties.

Childhood and literacy

Stolz Andrei Ivanovich was born into a family of a German and a Russian noblewoman. His father was a manager in the village of Verkhlevo, he ran a local boarding house, where Andryusha met young Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. They soon became inseparable friends.

“Russian was a natural speech” Stolz, he learned it from his mother, from books, and adopted many words from peasants and village boys. Parents early began to introduce their son to all kinds of sciences.

“From the age of eight, the boy sat over geographical maps, learned Bible verses, Krylov’s fables.”

When he “looked up from the instructions,” he ran to the neighbor’s kids.

He stayed on the street until late at night, destroyed birds' nests, and often got into fights. The mother complained to her husband that:

“Not a day goes by without a boy returning without a blue spot, and the other day he breaks his nose.”

Despite his violent temper, he never lost his talent for learning. When he played the piano four hands with his mother, she instantly forgot about the bad behavior of her beloved son.

From the age of fourteen, the father began to send his son to the city on certain errands.

“It never happened that the boy forgot, overlooked, changed things up, made a mistake.” Mother did not like this kind of “work discipline”.

The woman dreamed of seeing her son as a gentleman, and not as a farmer with working hands.

Appearance

Andrei Ivanovich was the same age as his friend Ilya Oblomov. The author compares him to a thoroughbred English horse. It seemed that he was composed only of nerves and muscles. Stolz was thin. He was missing "a sign of fatty roundness".

On a dark face, green eyes looked very expressive. The gaze was sharp. Absolutely no detail escaped him. Ilya Oblomov enviously tells his friend that he exudes masculinity and health, because he “is not fat and does not have styes.”

Attitude to work. Financial situation

Andrey was persistent.

“He stubbornly walked along his chosen path. I haven't seen anyone think painfully about anything. Didn’t get lost in difficult circumstances.”

From childhood he was accustomed to any kind of work. After he resigned, he decided to start his own business. Thanks to this, I managed to acquire a house and money. “He is involved in a company that ships goods overseas.” Colleagues respect him and treat him with confidence.

Andrey's life is continuous movement. If work requires you to go abroad, then they definitely send him.

“When there is a need in society to visit Belgium or England, they send Stolz, it is necessary to write a project or adapt a new idea to the case, they choose him.”

This kind of enterprise helped him:

“from the parents’ forty, make three hundred thousand capital.”

To Ilya Oblomov’s assurances that one cannot devote one’s whole life to work, he replies that such a thing is possible. He cannot imagine himself being idle.

“I will never stop working. Labor is the goal, the element and the way of life.”

Lives on a budget, without frills.

“I tried to spend every ruble, with vigilant control over time and labor, the strength of the soul and heart.”

Friendship and love.

Stolz was a loyal and reliable comrade. He became friends with Oblomov when he was a teenager. Together they studied at the boarding school, where Andrei’s father was in charge. The guys were already very different in their aspirations.

Ilya did not like science. But when he developed a passion for poetry, Andryusha began to bring him all kinds of books from home, just to develop his knowledge.

“Stolz’s son spoiled Ilyusha, giving him lessons and doing many translations for him.”

Years later, he never ceases to support Oblomov. He claims that he is a close person to him.

“Closer than any relative: I studied and grew up with him.”

Andrey will always selflessly support his comrade. Ilya happily awaits his visit and trusts him with all his affairs, including financial ones. Stolz would come soon! He writes that it will be coming soon. He would have sorted it out. When Oblomov has serious problems with the estate, his friend himself offers to help restore order there; he understands that the estate manager is deceiving Ilya Ilyich. He does everything competently.

Even after Oblomov’s death, he never ceases to show concern for his loved ones. He sends his wife Agafya Pshenitsyna the money that the estate brings. He takes the son of his late comrade into his home.

“Andryusha was asked to be raised by Stolz and his wife. Now they consider him a member of their own family.”

Love.

Andrei Ivanovich was careful in relationships with the opposite sex.

“Among my hobbies, I felt the ground under my feet and enough strength to break free in case of emergency. I was not blinded by beauty, I did not lie at the feet of beauties.”

They had a long-standing friendship with Olga Ilyinskaya. The man was older than her and perceived her acquaintance as a child.

“In his eyes I was a charming, promising child.”

After a painful break in relations with Oblomov, Olga and her aunt go abroad. They will meet Andrey in Paris, and will never part again.

Andrey will try in every possible way to brighten up her loneliness in a foreign city.

“Having covered it with notes and albums, Stolz calmed down, believing that he had filled his friend’s leisure time for a long time, and went to work.”

Soon they leave for Switzerland together. Here he becomes even more convinced that he cannot live without Olga.

The man is in love with her.

“During these six months, all the tortures of love, from which he so carefully guarded himself in relationships with women, played out over him.”

Having confessed his sincere feelings to her, he finds out that she feels reciprocity for him. Soon the lovers get married and have children.

The family lives amicably and happily. The widow of the late Ilya Ilyich Oblomov comes to visit them to visit her son Andryushka. The woman understands that their feelings are sincere. “Both existences, Olga and Andrey, merged into one channel. Everything was harmony and silence with them.”