Fathers and Sons by Brian Friel

Fathers and Sons by Brian Friel

Nihilism was a 19th century philosophy whose followers believed in nothing; rejected all value systems and calling for traditional customs, institutions, and beliefs to be abolished. It was a particularly controversial issue in Russia during the 1800's as many in that country adopted it as the driving force behind their struggle against the injustice and tyranny of Czarist Russia. One work of literature where Nihilism played an important role in the plot was Turgenev's Fathers and Sons, a story that has adapted to the stage by Brian Friel. An investigation using the printed version of Friel's work can identify a distinct change in the Nihilistic belief system of the main character Barazov due to his falling in love with another character, Anna.

At the beginning of the story, Barazov is a strict Nihilist, believing in nothing, especially rejecting the notion of love between two people. Barazov, when recalling a story of Arkady's uncle Pavel's tragic love life, rejected the idea of romantic love. Barazov stated that "Romantic love is a fiction…There is nothing at all mysterious between the sexes. The relationship is quite simply physical…"(Friel p. 45) He does not believe that love is a real emotion that can alter the way a person thinks and acts, and views the idea of love from a logical and compassionless state. And from his logical and compassionless state, love is simply a physiological disorder, something that can be overcome through science.

As firm as Barazov's Nihilism is, the sight of the Madame Anna Sergeyevna Odintsov, a beautiful 29-year-old widow, changes his mind. He is immediately swept off his feet by her and instantly falls in love. Suddenly his Nihilism is no longer important as his love for her becomes all encompassing. When he finally admits his love for Anna, she coldly rejects him and sends him away with a broken heart. But like the old Tennyson saying "t'is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all," Barazov's unrequited love for Anna allows him to feel love for the first time, understanding that things, like love, really do exist. (Tennyson) This revelation brings about a distinct change in his personality and his relations toward others. He softens his outlook on life, becoming more understanding to the views of others. He also becomes more sympathetic toward those who he had earlier bitterly rejected as idiots and simpletons. But mostly Barazov's relationship with Anna allows him to feel love for others, something that he allows to momentarily slip when he is alone with Fenichka. Barazov, on an impulse, steals a kiss from the young woman, something that later leads to trouble. But just the fact that he decided to act on impulse, and kiss a young woman, demonstrates a major shift in his thinking from earlier in the story. His Nihilistic beliefs in the absurdity of love have altered, and he has become a human being with human needs and desires.