DOI 10.52172/2587-6945_2022_19_1_211
Abstract
The article is dedicated to the issues of happiness, the discussion of which has always interested philosophers, writers, poets, and in recent years has attracted representatives of other fields and scientific disciplines. The paper examines the attitude to the concept of "happiness" of the Russian writer I. A. Goncharov and traces the evolution of his perception of this phenomenon through the worldview of the heroes of his three works of literature which are studied at school: "An Ordinary Story", "Oblomov", "Cliff". Based on the remarks of the characters in the novels and quoting the opinions of other researchers of Goncharov's work, the writer's system of views on happiness and the general concept of whether this state is achievable by a person are built. Considerable attention is paid to the ways that Goncharov's heroes are ready to go in order to be on top of the delight, what emotions they experience when they achieve what they want, and how they react to certain life situations that can either prolong this state or bring it to an end forever. Revealing the disposition and fate of the main characters of the same type (Alexander Aduyev, Ilya Oblomov, Boris Raisky) and minor characters, Goncharov deduces the right formula of happiness for each of them, and in the final work of his trilogy, the author – through the views of Boris Raisky - comes to his own concept of happiness. It is within the power of any person to achieve it for a certain period of time, but it remains an open question how long this period can be and what kind of unrest is most likely to accompany it.
Keywords
The concept of "happiness", the problem of happiness, novel trilogy, author's vision, main character.