This “novel in verse” (as it is subtitled),

[or

]

[

], Alexander Pushkin’s masterpiece and the highest achievement of Russian poetry, was written over an eight-year period (1823-31) in the poet’s prime. It tells the story of a bored man-about-town, Eugene Onegin, who retires to the country on inheriting his uncle’s estate. There he meets and apparently befriends a young neighbour, Vladimir Lensky, who is in love with a local girl, named Olga Larina. Her elder sister, Tatiana, falls in love with Onegin and naïvely offers herself to him in a long letter, but he is not interested, and rejects her approach. Invited to Tatiana’s name-day celebration, Onegin monopolises Olga, out of pique, to an insulting degree. Lensky challenges him to a duel,…

1580 words

Citation: Briggs, A.D.P.. "Yevgeny Onegin". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 May 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=11201, accessed 22 November 2024.]

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