Ivan Goncharov's eponymous novel Oblomov sheds light on a thirty-two-year-old Russian man living in St Petersburg, owner of an estate in the Russian countryside, who has become so apathetic to the world surrounding him that he ends up being unable to do anything including living his own life. Through this fictional satire, Goncharov aims at portraying the eventless and effortless lives of mid-19th century Russian aristocracy which appeared somewhat plagued by ennui, lack of purpose and, sometimes, a lack of skills.
"Don't come near - don't come near, I won't shake hands - you're straight from the cold street!" Goncharov, I. Oblomov, London, Penguin Classics, Part One, p.39
During the entire first part of the novel, Goncharov's satirical tone is palpable. Ilya Ilych Oblomov is described as a man who, after quitting his job as a public servant to supposedly work on a plan to save his estate from ruin, has let himself fall into idleness, preferring the comfort of his poorly-managed flat than participating to activities most dear to the Russian upper-class society such as socializing. In his effort to stay home and not go anywhere, Oblomov finds himself being the one receiving guests, one after the other, without getting a single moment of peace. To add to his discomfort, he must write two letters: one to his bailiff and the other to the owner of his flat. One problem, Oblomov has as good a memory as a goldfish and keeps on forgetting to write the letters but also bathe and wear proper clothes until his most faithful friend Andrey Stolz comes into the picture and drags him out of his apartment.
"Having done with the cares of business, Oblomov liked to withdraw into himself and live in the world of his own creation. He was not acquainted with the joys of lofty thoughts; he was not unfamiliar with human sorrows. Sometimes he wept bitterly in his heart of hearts over calamities of mankind and experienced secret and nameless sufferings and anguish and a yearning for something far away, for the world, perhaps [...]." Goncharov, I. Oblomov, London, Penguin Classics, Part One, p.72
Though the satirical element was extremely present in part one of the novel, it gradually morphed into something different from part two to part four. Indeed, as I was reading Oblomov, I realized that despite Goncharov's attempts to make fun of Oblomov's laziness, his tone rapidly changed and took a much sadder turn when Oblomov finally opens up to his best friend Stolz. Suddenly, Goncharov's novel is no longer about idleness, it becomes a novel about a man who suffers from severe depression.
"My life began by flickering out. It may sound strange but it is so. From the very first moment I became conscious of myself, I felt that I was already flickering out. I began to flicker out over the writing of official papers at the office; I went on flickering out when I read truths in books which I did not know how to apply in life, when I sat with friends listening to rumours, gossip, jeering, spiteful, cold, and empty chatter, and watching friendships kept up by meetings that were without aim or affection [...]" Goncharov, I. Oblomov, London, Penguin Classics, Part Two, p.183
Oblomov is overwhelmed by feelings of sadness and hopelessness. He does not see a future for himself and he does not care to have one though he is haunted by the idea of death whom he sees through his devoted servant Zakhar ("Oh, you'll be the death of me, Zakhar!" p.227). He feels worthless and blames himself for the things he does and for the ones he does not do. He feels guilty for not being as useful to society as anybody else and for lacking purpose in life. He sleeps too much and sometimes not enough when possessed by his anxieties. Not even his love for the spirited Olga and his friendship with Stolz can make him change and we can only watch him as he sinks more and more into apathy to the point of no return.
"I am worthy of your friendship, God knows, but I'm not worth your trouble." Goncharov, I. Oblomov, London, Penguin Classics, Part Four, p.474
Goncharov may not be as famous as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, or Chekhov but he certainly deserves to have a place amongst them. Oblomov is a beautiful heart-wrenching masterpiece that can be a difficult read especially if you have experienced mental illness or are experiencing mental illness.
Goncharov, I. Oblomov, London, Penguin Classics, 2005.