Childhood, Boyhood, Youth (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Leo Tolstoy
- First Published: 1852
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Bildungsroman
- Time of Work: Early nineteenth century
- Setting: Petrovsk and Moscow, Russia
- Genres: Long fiction, Bildungsroman, Autobiographical fiction
- Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, Children, Family or family life, Nineteenth century, Russia or Russian people
- Locales: Moscow, Russia, Petrovsk, Russia
Characters Discussed
Nikolai Petrovich Irtenev (nee-koh- LAY peh-TROH-vich eer-TEH-nev), a ten-year-old child of a well-to-do Russian family. In this semiautobiographical novel in three parts, he grows into an adolescent and a student at Moscow University. In his formative years, he shows some constant traits: He is self-centered, insecure, sensitive, capricious, and outspoken, with a tendency to philosophize. He also displays some contradictions, depending on circumstances: He is often devious, yet strives for forthrightness; he is stubborn, yet submissive; loving, yet...
[The entire page is 678 words long]
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