Eugene Onegin Read-Along ~ Chapters 3 & 4

(c) Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
In part 1 of our read-along, we met a rather vain but world-weary Eugene on his way to his inherited country estate.  By chance, he befriended his neighbor Vladimir Lenksy, a young, Romantic (and romantic) poet.  We also get to meet Olga Larina, Lensky's beloved, and her sister Tatyana, as opposite in personalities as Onegin and Lensky.  Chapter 2 concluded with a pithy description of the sisters' mother and father.  There's much to suggest that every "narrator's aside" in this story holds some significance, so we'll see if/when/how these themes tie into the story.

You can join this read-along at anytime!  Please add your blog post link(s) in a comment (directly below the title of this post).  Comments in lieu of a post are also welcome.  All discussion questions are optional.

I have a little catching up to do, but I hope to post my own thoughts over the next week.  :)  It's been great reading all of your posts so far!


Chapters 3 & 4 Questions

- Impressions of Tatyana and Olga?

- What do you make of Onegin's reaction to Tatyana?

- How does the story, thus far, compare or contrast with another classic romantic novel (of your choice)? 


Ongoing Questions

- Reactions and/or predictions?

- Any quotes or passages that stand out?


Notes:

~ St. Tatiana is commemorated on January 25 (or 12, on the Julian calendar), so that would be Tatyana's name day.


Feel free to comment with any additional notes that you find interesting!

Comments

Anonymous said…
I love Tatyana, but I think she has her head in the clouds. It is kind of strange that she fell in love with Onegin partly because of the gossip around the two of them, but I guess it adds to her romantic persona. I wish Olga's character was explored a little more, because I feel like she is merely a plot device to trigger the following events. But this is a story of Tatyana and Eugine, so I can't complain.

I was pleasantly surprised at how sensible Onegin was upon meeting Tatyana. I love how he comments that if he was Lensky he would direct his attentions to the quiet Tatyana, not the airhead Olga. He was actually pleasant upon their meeting, which is unusual for him.
January 17, 2014 at 7:51 AM
cleopatra said…
I think because Tatyana has spent most of her time reading romances and mooning, while being secluded in the country, she is ripe for falling in love with the first young sophisticated man that turns up. A little push from the country gossips and BANG!, she's hooked!

I completely agree about Olga being a plot device. Pushkin gives only a meager sketching of her character, only what is directly pertinent to move the plot along.

Here is my post for Chapters 3 and 4: http://cleoclassical.blogspot.ca/2014/01/eugene-onegin-read-along-chapters-3-and.html
January 20, 2014 at 8:17 PM
Amy said…
Here's my post...
http://bookmusings1.blogspot.com/2014/01/eugene-onegin-chapters-3-and-4.html
January 21, 2014 at 3:49 PM
Adnams said…
http://adammstone.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/eugene-onegin-chapters-3-4/
January 23, 2014 at 3:05 PM
Jean said…
Here's my post: http://howlingfrog.blogspot.com/2014/01/eugene-onegin-readalong-3-4.html
January 23, 2014 at 3:46 PM
Anonymous said…
Here is the link to my review of Eugene Onegin Chapters Three & Four.

I really enjoyed both these chapters, very entertaining, the consequence of a community's gossip on the mind of a young woman whose main activity takes place between the pages of romantic novels, who easily forgets the young man himself made on her, so enamoured is she of the qualities she reads about and finds the rumours of Eugene's intentions sufficient for her imagination to take flight!

His response is as we might expect, although we almost think him kind, for failing to be as critical and insensitive as we have come to know him to be up until this point.

I am looking forward to seeing how Tatyana's words slowly work on him, arising from the subconscious depths of his mind!
January 25, 2014 at 11:44 AM
Anonymous said…
Finished with my reading of Chapter 3-4; thoughts can be found here.

Plethora
January 27, 2014 at 8:23 PM
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