Birthdate: 8th November 1818
Nationality: Russian
Bio:
Ivan Turgenev was born in 1818 in Oryol, Russia. He came from a wealthy Russian family and was educated at the University of Moscow. From a young age, Turgenev showed a talent for writing. He was especially influenced by German literature and Western thought, which put him at odds with the Russian nationalist literature popular at the time.
Turgenev is considered one of the first Russian realist writers. He wrote novels and short stories that dealt with social issues and the conflict between the aristocracy and peasantry in 19th century Russia. His most famous work is Fathers and Sons, published in 1862, which explored the conflict between generations and different ways of thinking. The character Bazarov introduced the idea of the nihilist to Russian literature and thought. Fathers and Sons garnered Turgenev fame throughout Europe, though it was controversial in his home country.
In addition to writing, Turgenev was also politically active. He associated with liberal circles in Russia that were censored by the conservative government. As a result, much of his work was banned in Russia for decades. Turgenev lived abroad for many years to escape political persecution, spending much of his time in Western Europe. He developed close friendships with other writers like Gustave Flaubert while living abroad.
By the end of his life, Turgenev had published several novels and novellas and established himself as one of the foremost Russian authors of the 19th century. He played a major role in bringing Russian literature onto the European stage. Though controversial in his native Russia, Turgenev and his works highlighting social issues and generational conflict have endured and he is still widely read today. He died in 1883 in France and is considered one of the most important Russian realist writers.
