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How Love Reflected His WorkNot only did his mother influence his writing, other things in Turgenev's life reflects his literary work. Turgenev attended the University of St. Petersburg initially. At the age of 19, however, he traveled to Germany and went to the University of Berlin. He studied history and philosophy. At the time working in Germany, Turgenev had a love for a known singer at the time named Pauline Viardot. This love for this woman would later dominate most of his life. Although the relationship was considered platonic, some letter depicts otherwise. He was a fond and devoted admirer toward Pauline. Later on in his life, he moved to where Pauline and her husband would move to from German towns, London, and Paris.
Though never married, in 1842 he had an illegitimate daughter by a peasant woman. He named his daughter Paulinette. He later would give his daughter as Viradot's ward. Turgenev's "Months in the Country"Most of Turgenev's novels are reflections on what Russiapedia calls "Months in the Country" where his work contains a balance of opposites such as young and old, love and its many facets, and concerns with oneself and the pursuit of selflessness for the sake of others. A major plot device Turgenev uses how a newcomer affects the environment upon a small social circle. The circle would put this newcomer under scrutiny from the main character of the work. However the ending of his story would end up with calamity.
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About Ivan TurgenevIvan Sergeyevich Turgenev (28th October 1818- 22 August 1883) was a Russian novelist, poet and playwright. Most of his notable work was the short story A Sportsman's Sketches (1852), the novels Rudin (1856), Fathers and Sons (1862), and the play A Month in the Country (1850). His writing style signify realistic, affectionate portrayals of Russian peasantry and Russian Intelligentsia. His writings had themes of the future of Russia at the time and also integrity of writing Russian Literature with a certain type of craft.
Due to his stand on being liberal (which was not good at the time), Turgenev spent some of his years in western Europe. In 1879, he was awarded with an honorary degree at the University of Oxford. About His Young LifeTurgenev came from a family of wealthy landowners in Russia along the Orel Province. He was the second son of a retired cavalry officer and a wealthy mother, aptly named Vavara Petrovna. Turgenev's mother was considered a cruel, domineering figure. This later influenced his works portraying her as tyrannous and unreasonable. He was even afraid of her because she would beat him constantly. However, Russiapedia states that Turgenev understood why she was so cruel to them: "She desperately wanted to be loved by her sons, but the actions to which her warped character drove her repelled them." As a result of her actions, her sons didn't love her.
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