Oblomov

Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov

"Oblomov" by Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov introduces a mythical character in Russian literature, a man named Oblomov. Unlike other dynamic Russian literary characters, Oblomov avoids fighting, traveling, and seduction. He prefers his cozy dressing gown to action. The novel, published in 1859, humorously tells the story of the demise of small landowners in the face of the rise of the new business elite. Oblomov, a landowner living in St. Petersburg, neglects his ruined estate. Wrapped in his dressing gown, he lives peacefully at home, moving from bed to armchair and back to bed. Inaction exhausts him, but he always procrastinates. Oblomov's character is both funny and terrifying, representing a subtle critique of Russian society at the time.