Eugene Onegin (Pushkin)
Short summary
Russia, early 19th century. Wealthy young aristocrat Eugene Onegin inherited his uncle's estate in the countryside, after leading a bored and cynical life in St Petersburg. While settling affairs, he befriended a poet neighbour who introduced him to the shy and bookish Tatyana Larina, a provincial young woman living nearby.
Struck by despairing love, Tatyana wrote Onegin a letter confessing her deep affection. But he coldly rejected her advance, telling her marriage was not for him. Later, to spite his poet friend and mock his romanticism, Onegin flirted with Tatyana's younger sister at a ball, provoking jealousy and leading his friend to challenge him to a duel. Onegin tragically killed his friend and was deeply troubled by guilt. He soon left the countryside and travelled extensively.
Several years went by. Settled now in Moscow, Tatyana Larina had married a well-respected and much older general, becoming a dignified society woman admired by all. Onegin returned to Moscow where, meeting her again, he was astonished by her transformation. He fell desperately in love with her, realizing with regret his earlier mistake. Onegin wrote heartfelt letters, but received no reply. Unwilling to accept her silence, he approached Tatyana privately, declaring his love. She, saddened yet full of dignity, replied:
I love you (why should I dissemble?);
But I am now another's wife,
And I'll be faithful all my life.
Though admitting her enduring feelings for Onegin, Tatyana remained firm in her marital faithfulness. They parted ways forever, leaving Onegin devastated and alone.
Detailed summary by chapters
Chapter titles are editorial.
Dedication. A pledge to friendship
The novel opens with a dedication in which Pushkin offers his work to a friend. He expresses that while he wished for a finer treasure to pledge his friendship, this collection of chapters—half humorous, half pessimistic—will have to suffice as a token of his affection and esteem.
Chapter 1. Onegin's life in St. Petersburg
The novel begins with Eugene Onegin rushing to his uncle's deathbed, though he is annoyed by the obligation. Upon his uncle's death, Onegin inherits the estate and becomes its new master.
The narrator introduces himself as Onegin's friend and describes Onegin's privileged upbringing in St. Petersburg. Raised by a French tutor and given a superficial education, Onegin became a fashionable young man about town, skilled in the art of seduction and social graces.
Onegin's daily routine in St. Petersburg consisted of attending balls, theater performances, and fine dining. He was considered witty and charming, though his education was shallow. Eventually, he grew bored with his lifestyle, developed a case of the Russian spleen, and withdrew from society. He attempted to write but found the labor too demanding. Disillusioned with love affairs, social gatherings, and literature, he fell into a deep melancholy.
Chapter 2. Country life and the Larin family
Onegin retreats to his uncle's country estate, where he initially enjoys the natural surroundings but soon grows bored. He introduces a new system of quitrent for his serfs, which earns him the suspicion of neighboring landowners who consider him strange and possibly a Freemason.
Meanwhile, a young poet named Vladimir Lensky returns from his studies in Germany and settles on a neighboring estate. Despite their differences—Lensky being an idealistic romantic poet and Onegin a jaded cynic—the two become friends.
Lensky introduces Onegin to the Larin family, consisting of the widowed mother and her two daughters: the beautiful, conventional Olga, who is Lensky's fiancée, and her older sister, the thoughtful and romantic Tatyana.
Chapter 3. Tatyana's love and letter
Tatyana, an avid reader of romantic novels, falls deeply in love with Onegin at first sight. Consumed by her feelings, she can neither eat nor sleep. One night, she confides in her elderly nurse about her love.
Unable to contain her passion, Tatyana writes a love letter to Onegin, confessing her feelings and entrusting her fate to him. She gives the letter to her nurse to deliver. After an anxious wait, Tatyana learns that Onegin will visit that evening.
Was this the Tanya he once scolded
In that forsaken, distant place?
The one to whom, when face to face,
In such a burst of moral fire,
He'd lectured gravely on desire?
The girl whose letter he still kept—
When they meet in the garden, Onegin thanks her for her honesty but tells her that he is not suited for marriage and would soon grow bored with domestic life. He advises her to control her emotions better in the future, as not everyone would treat her with such respect. Tatyana is heartbroken by his rejection.
Chapter 4. Onegin's rejection and Lensky's visits
The narrator reflects on Onegin's rejection of Tatyana, acknowledging that he behaved honorably in not taking advantage of her innocence. Meanwhile, Lensky continues to visit the Larins frequently, deeply in love with Olga.
The less we love her when we woo her,
The more we draw a woman in,
And thus more surely we undo her
Within the witching webs we spin.
Tatyana continues to love Onegin from afar, while he leads a solitary life on his estate. He spends his days reading, taking walks by the river, and occasionally meeting with Lensky. During the winter, Onegin occupies himself with billiards and waits for summer to return.
Lensky, meanwhile, writes passionate poetry about his love for Olga and spends most of his time at the Larins' home. He fills Olga's album with verses and is completely devoted to her. The narrator contrasts Lensky's youthful passion with Onegin's world-weary cynicism.
Chapter 5. Tatyana's dream and her name-day party
Winter arrives, and Tatyana, influenced by folk traditions, participates in fortune-telling rituals. One night, she has a disturbing dream in which she is pursued by a bear through a snowy forest. The bear takes her to a hut where a feast of monsters is taking place, with Onegin as their leader.
When the creatures notice Tatyana, they cry out, "She's mine!" Onegin drives them away, but then Lensky and Olga appear. Onegin quarrels with them and stabs Lensky. Tatyana wakes up terrified and consults a dream book, but cannot interpret the nightmare.
Soon after, Tatyana's name-day celebration is held. Many local gentry attend, including a Frenchman named Triquet who has composed verses in Tatyana's honor.
Onegin arrives late with Lensky. Tatyana is overwhelmed by his presence. During the evening, Onegin, annoyed by the provincial gathering and seeking to tease Lensky, flirts with Olga and dances with her repeatedly. Lensky becomes increasingly jealous and angry at what he perceives as betrayal by both his friend and his fiancée.
Chapter 6. The duel and Lensky's death
Deeply offended by Onegin's behavior with Olga, Lensky leaves the party and sends Onegin a challenge to a duel. Onegin accepts, though he regrets the situation and acknowledges he should have behaved better.
The next morning, Lensky writes a poem reflecting on his possible death, expressing his love for Olga and wondering if she will visit his grave. Zaretsky, a former troublemaker now living as a country squire, serves as Lensky's second for the duel.
The duel takes place early in the morning by a mill. As the former friends face each other, both hesitate, but neither stops the proceedings. Onegin fires first and kills Lensky. Filled with regret, Onegin leaves the area.
I've learned the voice of new desires
And come to know a new regret;
The first within me light no fires,
And I lament old sorrows yet.
O dreams! Where has your sweetness vanished?
And where has youth been banished?
The narrator reflects on Lensky's death, wondering what might have become of him had he lived—whether he would have continued as a great poet or settled into a conventional life. A simple stone marks Lensky's grave, where two pine trees grow.
Chapter 7. Tatyana in Onegin's library and Moscow
Spring arrives, and Olga's period of mourning for Lensky is brief. She soon marries a lancer and leaves with him. Tatyana, now alone, wanders through the countryside and one day finds herself at Onegin's abandoned estate.
The housekeeper allows her to explore, and Tatyana spends time in Onegin's study, examining his books and the notes he made in the margins. Through these annotations, she begins to understand his character better, questioning whether he is a genuine person or merely an imitation of literary heroes.
What was he then? An imitation?
An empty phantom or a joke,
A Muscovite in Harold's cloak,
Compendium of affectation,
A lexicon of words in vogue…
Mere parody and just a rogue?
Meanwhile, Tatyana's mother decides it is time for her to marry and takes her to Moscow for the winter season. Tatyana is reluctant to leave her countryside home but complies with her mother's wishes.
Can she have solved the riddle's power?
Can she have found the final clue?
She hardly notes how late the hour,
And back at home she's overdue—
Where two old friends in conversation
Speak out on Tanya's situation
In Moscow, they stay with a sickly relative who introduces Tatyana to society. Tatyana feels out of place in the city and at the grand balls she attends. She longs for her quiet country life, her books, and the freedom to wander in nature.
Chapter 8. Society reunion and Tatyana's rebuff
Several years pass. Onegin, after traveling aimlessly following Lensky's death, returns to St. Petersburg and attends a grand ball. There, he notices a beautiful, dignified woman who is the center of attention—the wife of a general. To his astonishment, he recognizes her as Tatyana Larina.
Onegin is introduced to her by her husband, but Tatyana shows no sign of their previous acquaintance. She remains composed and dignified, giving no indication of her former feelings. Onegin is stunned by her transformation from a provincial girl into a sophisticated society lady.
Can it be true? The lady didn't shiver,
Or blush, or suddenly turn white...
Or even let an eyebrow quiver,
Or press her lips together tight.
Although Eugene with care inspected
This placid lady, he detected
No trace of Tanya from the past.
Obsessed with Tatyana, Onegin begins to pursue her, attending all the events where she might be present. He writes her passionate letters, which she leaves unanswered. His health deteriorates as he falls deeply in love with the woman who once loved him.
To love all ages yield surrender;
But to the young its raptures bring
A blessing bountiful and tender—
As storms refresh the fields of spring.
Neath passion's rains they green and thicken,
Renew themselves with joy, and quicken;
Finally, Onegin visits Tatyana at her home and finds her alone, weeping over one of his letters. He falls at her feet, but she remains calm and composed. She admits that she still loves him but is determined to remain faithful to her husband.
I'm weeping.... Oh, at this late hour,
If you recall your Tanya still,
Then know—that were it in my power,
I'd much prefer words harsh and chill,
Stern censure in your former fashion—
To this offensive show of passion
Tatyana reminds Onegin of his rejection of her and questions why he pursues her now—whether it is because of her new social position or for the scandal it might create. She acknowledges that she still loves him but is determined to remain faithful to her husband. She leaves him, and Onegin remains frozen in place as the novel ends abruptly.
But blest is he who rightly gauges
The time to quit the feast and fly,
Who never drained life's chalice dry,
Nor read its novel's final pages;
But all at once for good withdrew—
As I from my Onegin do.
Appendix. Excerpts from Onegin's Journey
The appendix contains fragments from a chapter that Pushkin omitted from the final version of the novel. These excerpts describe Onegin's travels across Russia after Lensky's death, including visits to Nizhni Novgorod, the Caucasus, and the Crimea. The journey represents Onegin's attempt to escape his guilt and find meaning in his life through travel.