Oblomov

Oblomov (first published: 1858) is the best known novel by Russian writer Ivan Goncharov. Oblomov is also the central character of the novel, often seen as the ultimate incarnation of the superfluous man, a stereotypical character in 19th-century Russian literature. Oblomov was compared to Shakespeare's Hamlet as answering 'No!' to the question "To be or not to be?". Oblomov is a young, generous nobleman who seems incapable of making important decisions or undertaking any significant actions. Throughout the novel he rarely leaves his room or bed and famously fails to leave his bed for the first 150 pages of the novel. The book was considered a satire of Russian nobility whose social and economic function was increasingly in question in mid-nineteenth century Russia.

Related Topics:
Ivan Goncharov - Superfluous man

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The novel was wildly popular when it came out in Russia and a number of its characters and devices have had an imprint on Russian culture and language. Oblomov has become a Russian word used to describe someone who exhibits the personality traits of sloth or inertia similar to the novel's main character.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Oblomovka is a word that appears in the English translation of the novel. It seems to refer to an imaginary land in which people like Oblomov might live.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~