It can be said about Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky that he is the "mind, honor and advice" of his era, the great thinker of Russian classics. The problems of the society he shows are very relevant for us today. Of course, he is the same person with vices and passions and as dual as his heroes, whom he always describes with great love and understanding, but constantly waging a struggle, and, above all, with himself.

Isn't that what The Teenager is about? The summary of this work will not give a complete picture, but it will shed light on many aspects of the life of people who, like many, many years ago, are ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of money: honor, name and position.

Pure psychology and realism

The novel “The Teenager” is not simple in the plot, the summary of which indicates that, without having dealt with his internal problems, a person often either commits suicide. From nobility to meanness, he always has one step left. In an instant, he can execute or pardon, denigrate or justify, and sometimes not immediately understand where the truth is and where the lie is.

Critics very often accused Dostoevsky of describing his characters and the difficult moments in which his characters found themselves too realistically. From ill-wishers, the writer openly received hints that he himself could be an accomplice in some not very personal situations, and perhaps even criminal events.

F.M. was a very difficult person. Dostoevsky. "Teenager" (a brief summary of the work will be discussed a little later) fully demonstrates this statement of fact.

Arkady

In the work, which will be discussed further, the main character is a slightly naive, conceited, vulnerable, intelligent and impulsive teenager. It is not in vain that Dostoevsky saturates the chapters of the novel with some deep philosophy of fascinating ideas from a variety of people. Each person lives by his own ideal - political, religious, love, economic, etc. Everything depends on its culture, moral and spiritual development. The main character also adheres to the same idea - to get rich at all costs. But more on that later.

Dostoevsky, "Teenager": a summary

The very first thing that catches your eye when analyzing the work is the eternal problem of “fathers and children”, because two heroes are put in the foreground - a twenty-year-old young man Arkady Makarovich Dolgoruky, who bore the name of his formal father Makar Ivanov Dolgoruky, a courtyard of the Versilov family , and the father of Arkady is the nobleman Andrei Petrovich Versilov. The young man's mother, Sofya Andreevna, was also a courtyard, later bought from Dolgoruky by Versilov, who lived with him and bore him two more children - Liza and another boy who died early in illness. From these events, she aged very early, grief was always visible on her face.

Arkady Makarovich was a "bastard" - a very sweet teenager with a clear outlook on life. A brief summary about him tells that, having graduated from the Moscow gymnasium, he did not want to continue to study. Before the gymnasium, he studied at the French boarding house Touchara and there he suffered a lot of humiliation and bullying from his peers precisely because of his illegitimacy, and then because of the name Dolgoruky. In society, when he introduced himself, he was always asked again: “Prince?”. It just pissed him off. Because of this, the guy grew up very impressionable. Now his dream has become the desire to get rich, like Rothschild. This would give him power over other people and a free, solitary life. As is already clear, this is precisely what Dostoevsky focuses on. "Teenager", a summary and analysis of which will be considered as events unfold, as a work is quite difficult to understand. However…

Character

Once Arkady appeared on the threshold of the house of the legitimate son of Versilov, but only in order to receive money sent from his father. His brother did not accept him, but only gave him the money through a servant. Arkady was indignant. His self-esteem in such cases was very easily wounded, however, kind and enthusiastic by nature, he quickly calmed down and immediately turned to love and adoration when he was treated politely and in a good way.

With his brother, he will then establish a relationship. He always had some problems in communicating with people, it often seemed to him that they were laughing at him and playing tricks. And he, like any young man, was proud and proud and demanded a proper attitude towards himself.

Petersburg

And finally, he came home to his parents in St. Petersburg. His father invited him because he found a job for him. Versilov Sr. preached all sorts of ideas of "world citizenship", Russian culture and "the reconciliation of ideas." For Arkady Makarovich, he was the only authority and the main ideological inspirer, for whom he was ready to fight in a duel.

However, despite all this, he goes to St. Petersburg with some caution, as there are bad rumors about his father, and he wants to find out if everything is really so.

fatal letter

However, only a little later Dostoevsky will reveal to us all the secrets of the novel "The Teenager". The summary notes that Arkady immediately gets a job as a secretary to his father's friend, Prince Sokolsky Nikolai Ivanovich. After serving a little with him, he leaves, since his daughter Katerina Nikolaevna Akhmakova accused him of espionage - he simply could not stand such an insult.

A little earlier, two documents fell into his hands, one of them is a document stating that the elder Versilov won the lawsuit with Sokolsky, but it can be reviewed at any moment, and the decision can become directly opposite.

The second document was given to him by Kraf, who soon shot himself. The paper was a letter in which it was said that the daughter of Prince Sokolsky considers her father to be weak-minded, who, due to his advanced age, is not able to make independent decisions, and therefore he needs guardianship. Such a letter, if it fell into the hands of the old prince, would cause a huge scandal and could set the father against his daughter.

"Teenager": a summary in parts

At the same time, the younger Versilov constantly collects all sorts of information about his father and eventually realizes that his benevolent parent is not really who he claims to be. Gossip around a crazy woman who committed suicide added fuel to the fire. Then there was a child whom another person allegedly gave birth to from him. Then some kind of secret relationship arose with Katerina Ivanovna Akhmakova. With the thought that his father was a lustful man, a scoundrel and a scoundrel, Arkady Makarovich wanted to leave him. But then some false moments came to light, and then the father and son showed condescension to each other. Moreover, they even became close to each other.

Once Katerina Nikolaevna invited Arkady to meet her aunt Tatyana Pavlovna Prutkova. He meets her all alone and is immediately inspired by this meeting. It seems to him that he was appointed a love date. He assumed that this lady was treacherous because of the compromising letter, but she disarmed him with her innocence and cordiality. Dolgoruky was completely fascinated by her, but she pushed him away, although she did not try to extinguish the passion that had flared up in him.

carelessness

Meanwhile, the summary of Dostoevsky's novel "The Teenager" increasingly confuses the plot with its riddles and secrets.

For some time, while living in St. Petersburg, Arkady became addicted to playing roulette and began to lose a lot, while he borrowed money from the son of the old man Sokolsky Sergey, who got confused in life. Even in the service, he was engaged in scams, for which his colleague was unfairly slandered. Then he met with Liza, the sister of Arkady, but at the same time he secretly and passionately loved Akhmakova, whom he wanted to marry.

Arkady found out about everything and immediately decided to put an end to all debts, giving him everything he occupied. Poor Liza, however, soon became pregnant. The nervous system of the prince could not stand it, the disease overcame him, he was put in prison for old deeds, and there he died. Lisa had a miscarriage at four months, she lay ill for half a year, but then went on the mend.

And then Arkady finds out that his Anna Andreevna was going to marry the old prince Sokolsky (in this case she is looking for profit, and therefore she really wants to receive a letter compromising the prince's daughter). After all, then she will be able to “warm her hands” well on the inheritance, leaving the daughter of her chosen one without an inheritance.

Makar Ivanov Dolgoruky

Dostoevsky's "Teenager" (a summary of the chapters) literally saturates with new and new people - swindlers and blackmailers. Almost everyone joins in the search for Ekaterina Akhmakova's letter, except for one - Makar Ivanov Dolgoruky, the courtyard who is recorded as Arkady's father. He once appears in Versilov's house. He was a very pleasant person, and he was valued as a wise and interesting narrator of edifying conversations and a God-fearing person who collected alms for the construction of the temple. He came to them quite sick and exhausted, and soon died. In the short time that he was in their house, Arkady became very attached to him. He considered him better and cleaner than everyone around him. It was this simple man who shed the life-giving light of spirituality and love into his soul.

Mysterious Escape

At the same time, Versilov's father realizes that the formal husband of his humble wife Sophia, with whom he lived for many years, has died, and now she is free. However, he runs away to his longtime beloved widow Katerina Akhmakova and asks for her hand in marriage. He literally goes crazy with love for her, but gets rejected.

Arkady, having heard unpleasant things from his fellow swindler Lambert about Katerina Akhmakova, wants to avenge his father and, finally, give her a letter, but on the condition that she becomes his wife (as Lambert advised him). In addition, he certainly wants his father to secretly observe this picture, so that his vision of the ideal image of a woman in her collapses in an instant, because a lot of money from her inheritance is at stake.

Dostoevsky built the whole main intrigue on this. "Teenager", the summary of which will be continued, is a novel with an unpredictable denouement. However, let's get ready for the most important thing.

Theft

Once Arkady came once again to Lambert to discuss his plan, but the latter, after getting him drunk, steals from him a letter sewn into the floor of his coat, and runs to the elder Versilov.

At the same time, the younger one, having sobered up from champagne, goes to Tatyana Pavlovna and says that he wants to give the letter into the hands of Katerina Ivanovna herself and put an end to this matter. However, everything collapsed when he found out that he no longer had the letter. The fact that Akhmakova has already left to meet them, Lambert and Versilov find out and immediately enter the game. While Arkady and Tatyana Pavlovna have left the house, Lambert is trying to blackmail Katerina Ivanovna, but she categorically refuses to fulfill his conditions. Meanwhile, in another room, Versilov is watching this whole picture. He does not need money, he just wants to see how a woman will behave in this very delicate and dangerous situation and to what a critical point of meanness Katerina can reach for the sake of money. However, the lady literally spits in Lambert's face, who abruptly grabs a revolver and tries to shoot her. At this point Andrey Petrovich's heart failed, and he rushed at Lambert. A shot rang out... Lambert lay on the floor like he was dead.

denouement

How famously F. M. Dostoevsky twisted the plot! "Teenager", the brief content of which comes to the very denouement, is coming to an end.

Then Arkady runs in and sees that his father is twirling a revolver and wants to shoot Akhmakova, who has fainted from horror, and then himself. But Arkady was able to prevent all this by appearing on the threshold with Tatyana Pavlovna in time, but his father manages to shoot himself in the shoulder. Lambert is alive, he gets up and runs away.

As a magnificent detective, F. M. Dostoevsky ends his novel. "Teenager", the summary of which keeps the reader in suspense until the very end, tells that after all these terrible scenes the letter was returned to Akhmakova, her wedding with Byoring was upset because he found out about some of her secret meetings with Arkady. The elder Versilov returned to his family, and this story with a shot in the shoulder turned into ridiculous rumors that practically disappeared. The whole family lived peacefully and happily. Akhmakova began to live in Paris and sometimes corresponded with Arkasha.

In the novel "Teenager", a summary of the chapters well tracks the character and behavior of the protagonist, who during this time managed to grow up and go to university. He considered all the events that had taken place to be a very good experience and an effective lesson in the re-education of his personality.

I mentally divide all books into blockbusters and outlets. I attribute almost all modern literature to blockbusters - well, there is no depth and beauty in it. This is action that is forgotten after reading. And vents are works that you read, experiencing aesthetic pleasure, after which you think about the main characters and try to understand what exactly the author wanted to say. And when it turns out that the book does not contradict your moral convictions, then you feel that you become a little richer spiritually, as if before you blurred pieces of the map of the game world are opening up before you.

Dostoevsky's "teenager" is exactly that case. In general, I love and respect Fyodor Mikhailovich, for some reason, according to his works, it seems to me that he was a highly moral person, very educated, thoughtful, not indifferent. He puts part of his views into the monologues of the main characters of the book.

So, in order.

What is F. M. Dostoevsky's book "Teenager" about?

These are the notes of a young man, Arkady Makarovich Dolgoruky, who, by the will of fate, was involved in secular intrigue. Arkady is officially the son of a courtyard man - Makar Dolgoruky, but in fact he is the illegitimate son of a master, nobleman Andrei Petrovich Versilov. Versilov, in his youth, seduced Makar's wife, and then asked his forgiveness, giving him freedom and at the same time taking his wife from him, who later lived with him as a common-law wife, well, or a mistress. Makar, having received freedom, went on a wandering, pilgrimage .

Arkady was educated with Versilov's money, and after graduating from the Lyceum he travels from Moscow to St. Petersburg to his mother and father. During the training, Arkady suffered a lot. Because of his origin, he was humiliated, beaten, offended. But this did not break his spirit. On the contrary, we see that he is clearly a guy with an inner core. He survived only thanks to his "idea", which, in his opinion, was able to give him independence. It consisted in the fact that by infringing on oneself in earthly goods and accumulating funds to become rich, like Rodschild. But it is not for the sake of wealth, but for the sake of freedom.

He is traveling from Moscow with an important document on which the fate of one young lady depends. And this document, sewn into his jacket, gives him a feeling of unlimited power over her.

How Arkady's relationship with his family will develop, whether he will be able to break the life of this person, what secrets his father keeps - all this is told in the book.

In addition, F.M. Dostoevsky very vitally showed the state of mind of a teenager.

Agree, it was common for all of us at a young age to prematurely judge people, make quick decisions, often change our minds, look for ideals and idols among adults?

Here is Arkady there too. Here's what the book is about.

The main characters of the novel "The Teenager" by Dostoevsky

1. Arkady Dolgoruky, "not a prince, but simply." This is the author of notes and a teenager around whom a scandalous secular story spun. I liked this guy in some places, not very much in some places, but I can’t help but note that his soul is pure - he intuitively understands where it’s bad and where it’s good, where he did the right thing, and where he’s ashamed, where people are ugly, and where are “decent” . However, this does not prevent him from communicating with bad people, which is due to gullibility or curiosity. Arkady is an amplifying antenna that understands people by intonations, facial expressions, and movements. Sometimes he does not want to notice the bad in people, and stubbornly believes in the best traits of a person's character. Sometimes he tries to prove to himself and everyone that he is capable of more. Despite being illegitimate, he has more nobility and principles than some pureblood nobles. And he is also capable of selfless and ardent love, although he experienced a deficit of it throughout his childhood. Of the negative traits - suspiciousness, arrogance, pride. But who is without sin?

2. Andrei Petrovich Versilov. This is the blood father of Arkady and a tradesman who squandered three inheritances. A rogue with a worthy surname and the manners of a rich man. This figure causes only hostility in me, although it has both a sharp mind and a caring heart, but still it is a rag, not a man. My attitude towards him changed throughout the book, but even his good deeds always aroused doubt in me: does he act and speak sincerely?

3. Makar Dolgoruky, the official father of Arkady. He appears only at the end of the work, and he personifies the Russian people of that time in its best features - sincerity, kindness, fear of God, forgiveness and pity. This is a treasury of wisdom, as evidenced by his many stories heard by him in his travels. Looking at him, Arkady understands that here it is - goodness, and at the call of his heart he is ready to go with him even to the ends of the world. But going beyond the threshold, he realizes that such a lifestyle is not for him.

4. Arcadia's mother is another positive image of the novel. Despite the fact that she lives with Versilov in an illegal, unmarried marriage, one cannot in any way call her a vulgar or reveling woman. On the contrary, she is modest, tactful, merciful, caring and sweet. An example of femininity. However, she failed to raise her children, did not protect them from shame, did not explain what is bad and what is good. As a result, the son grew up with strangers, the daughter's life is broken.

I won't talk about other characters, otherwise I'll have to retell the whole book.

The main ideas of the work

The 19th century was accompanied by the destruction of the moral foundations of the nobility.

There was chaos all around. Arkady, as a child of this mess, is trying to find a role model for himself, what his father should have been. But his father was not around, so after finding his father, he wants to understand - is Versilov worthy of being his ideal?

As Dostoevsky himself wrote, (in his own words) there used to be a backbone of worthy and intelligent people - the nobility, and ordinary people stuck to this backbone, trying to become more educated and better. Now (at the time of writing the book), on the contrary, worthy people, noble families break away from this backbone and interfere with rubbish. They are not interested in the unity of the people, not in maintaining traditions and not in appearance, but in new trends - communism, atheism, liberalism. Permissiveness, disorder, sin are supported. The result is a generation that grows up bewildered. It looks at its fathers and sees that something is wrong. That parents, instead of showing their children how to live by their example, rush about in search of themselves. What is left for the children?

For my part, I can only draw a parallel with the modern world. People don't have a single system of values ​​now. Some think only about money, the second are passionate about the otherworldly, the third - oriental practices, the fourth - power, the fifth - narcissism, and the tenths play Word of Tanks like little kids. What is left for the youth?

Will our next generation be moral if parents, instead of teaching the child to negotiate with words, advise giving the offender SO much at school that he would be afraid to come up later? If it is easier for them to give a child a phone in their hands than to devote time. If they drag children to fortune-tellers and grandmothers, instead of going to the doctor. In general, the question of morality was as acute then as it is now.

Quotes from the novel "Teenager" by F. Dostoevsky

That's what immoral kindred love is, that it is not deserved. Love must be earned.

• There are three kinds of scoundrels in the world: naive scoundrels, that is, convinced that their meanness is the highest nobility, ashamed scoundrels, that is, ashamed of their own meanness, but with the indispensable intention to finish it all the same, and, finally, simply scoundrels, purebred scoundrels.

The words of the desperate fly to the wind.

• The present time is the time of the golden mean and insensitivity, passion for ignorance, laziness, inability to work and the need for everything ready.

Today they are deforesting Russia, depleting the soil in it, turning it into a steppe and preparing it for the Kalmyks. If a person appears with hope and plant a tree, everyone will laugh: “Will you live to see him?” On the other hand, those who wish well talk about what will happen in a thousand years. The binding idea was completely gone. Everyone is definitely at the inn and tomorrow they are going out of Russia; everyone lives only to get enough of them.

I recommend reading the book by F. M. Dostoevsky "Teenager" in my review. This is a great novel. Although it is not easy to read, especially at the very end. I read it 2 times to understand what Dostoevsky wanted to say, but still mastered it. It was as if I got into a time machine and returned to Tsarist Russia. It was very interesting.

One of the novels that Dostoevsky F.M. wrote - "Teenager", a summary will help you get a general idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe work of the classic. The novel is divided into three parts, and they are divided into chapters. The essence of each is very briefly given below.

F.M. Dostoevsky, "Teenager": a summary of the chapters

Part one:

Chapter 1. It tells about the parents of the main character Arkady Dolgoruky (aka Teenager), a 19-year-old graduate of the gymnasium and the history of his birth. The young man is the illegitimate son of the nobleman Versilov. His mother, the yard worker Sofya Andreeva, being married to her equal Makar Ivanovich Dolgoruky, sinned with the master, with whom the relationship continued all her life. Arkady was not brought up at home and hardly knew his mother.

Chapter 2. Service of Arkady with Prince Sokolsky in St. Petersburg. Getting your first paycheck. Acquaintance with his half-sister, as well as with the daughter of the prince.

Chapter 3 Meeting with comrades, discussion of the Russian people and their role.

Chapter 4. Arkady learns from Kraft a story from a year and a half ago, in which his father does not appear in the best light.

Chapter 5 He denies himself everything, proud of his willpower. He wants to distribute the accumulated wealth to the poor.

Chapter 6. Arkady has a conflict with his father. A teenager recalls his humiliation in a boarding school, where he was insulted because of his illegitimate birth.

Chapter 7 The young man has it, but he does not recognize it.

Chapter 8. Arkady wants to shoot with his father's offender, but the duel did not take place. He also learns that Kraft shot himself by overhearing the conversation between Tatyana Pavlovna and Akhmakova, who allegedly gave birth to Versilov.

Chapter 9. Arkady's acquaintance with Olya, who came to Versilov to return his money. He gave them to her, having learned about the plight, but the girl realized that the donor's intentions were not pure, and did not take them. Olya commits suicide in the same chapter. Arkady gives his father a letter by inheritance.

Chapter 10. Arkady learns that his father has refused the inheritance, and is proud of him. Acquaintance with Sergei Sokolsky.

Part two

Chapter 1. Sergei Sokolsky becomes a friend of Arkady and gives him money. Arkady has forgotten his idea, bathes in luxury, experiencing pangs of conscience. He reconciled with his father.

Chapter 2. Arkady takes 300 rubles from Sergei on account of Versilov's inheritance.

Chapter 3. Arkady is offered 2 thousand for not interfering with the marriage of Sergei Sokolsky and Versilov's daughter (the protagonist's half-sister) Anna Andreevna. Arkady's maternal sister Liza warns that Anna Andreevna has unclean intentions.

Chapter 4. Arkady tells Akhmakova that the letter compromising her no longer exists and decides to actually destroy it.

Chapter 5. Arkady's visit to his mother. An attempt to return 300 rubles taken from Sokolsky. Meeting with his father and confessing to him in his immaturity, inability to distinguish good from evil.

Chapter 6. Arkady plays roulette. A thief steals part of the money won from him. The protagonist learns that his sister Liza is pregnant by Prince Sokolsky.

Chapter 7. Lisa looks happy. Sergei Sokolsky proposed to her. Anna Andreevna, whom he was going to marry earlier, refused him. She plans to marry old Sokolsky.

Chapter 8. Arkady plays roulette with Sokolsky and wins. He is accused of theft. The prince renounces him.

Chapter 9. Arkady was injured and fell into unconsciousness. They save him, but he is sick. The protagonist blurts out his secrets to Comrade Lambert, who found him after falling on the street.

Part three

Chapter 1. Acquaintance of Arkady with his formal father - the wanderer Makar Ivanovich. The illness continues. There is a desire to also wander along with the old man.

Chapter 2. Lisa is proud of Sokolsky's deed, which ended up in prison. Arkady's meeting with the mother of the deceased Olya. Arkady is more and more glad to get acquainted with Makar Ivanovich. Their ideals are similar.

Chapter 3. Recovery of Arkady. His conversations about religion and other lofty things with Makar Ivanovich.

Chapter 4. Vasin, who was denounced by the prince, wants to marry Lisa, but she does not agree. Makar Ivanovich feels the imminent death and asks Versilov to marry his official wife when she becomes a widow.

Chapter 5. Anna Andreevna decides to independently obtain the document that Arkady is hiding.

Chapter 6. Makar Ivanovich died.

Chapter 7 Arkady visits his father's house and finds a portrait of his mother there. From this he concludes that Versilov truly loves his mother.

Arkady Makarovich Dolgoruky (Teenager) tells in his notes about interesting events, where he was the main participant and protagonist.

Arkady is twenty years old, he recently graduated from a gymnasium in Moscow, but he decided to postpone his further studies at the university, because he wants to implement one cherished idea that he had been thinking about since the sixth grade.

And his dream is to be a Rothschild, which means collecting a lot of money and acquiring solitude and power with their help.

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In dealing with people, according to the Teenager, it is difficult for him, he begins to get lost, it seems to him that they are laughing at him, in response Arkady becomes unrestrained and overly emotional.

Arkady's thoughts arose for a reason. After all, he is the illegitimate son of the nobleman Andrei Petrovich Versilov and his servant. Such an origin gives rise to a sense of inferiority in a proud young man. And the surname of Arkady is from his formal father, who also serves at the court of Versilov, and his name is Makar Ivanovich Dolgoruky. Often, when meeting someone, Arkady is confused with Prince Dolgoruky, and he takes this as a humiliation.

The young man was brought up in a boarding house of one Frenchman Touchard. He was not accepted there because he was born illegitimate. Subsequently, this made him vulnerable and very impressionable.

One day, Arkady comes to his half-brother (Versilov's legal son) to collect the money that his father sends for him. The lackey takes out the money to him, which Arkady is very offended and indignant about. Although the young man himself is very kind and sympathetic by nature. He responds to a good attitude towards himself with love and affection, even if in the past this person treated him with hostility, but changed his behavior, then Arkady will look at him with admiration.

A young man goes to St. Petersburg at the invitation of his father in order to enter the service. His pious mother Sofya Andreevna also lives here with her sister Lisa, but the main thing is that there is an opportunity to meet with his father Andrei Petrovich Versilov.

It belongs to the highest cultural Russian type of "worldwide angst for all."

Andrei Versilov is close to the idea of ​​spiritual nobility and the highest aristocracy of the spirit. For him, the idea of ​​universal reconciliation is important, and the highest cultural thought for him is "world citizenship".

Updated: 2013-08-17

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Fedor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky

"Teenager"

Arkady Makarovich Dolgoruky, who is also a Teenager, tells in his notes about himself and recent events in which he was one of the main participants. He is twenty years old, he had just graduated from a gymnasium in Moscow, but he decided to postpone entering the university so as not to be distracted from the implementation of the cherished idea, which he had hatched almost from the sixth grade.

His idea is to become a Rothschild, that is, to accumulate a lot of money, and along with the money to gain power and solitude. According to him, it is difficult for Arkady with people, he is lost, it seems to him that they are laughing at him, he begins to assert himself and becomes too expansive. The idea did not accidentally crept into his soul. Arkady is the illegitimate son of the well-born nobleman Andrei Petrovich Versilov and his yard, which gives rise to an inferiority complex in him, a proud and proud teenager. He bears a different surname - his formal father, also a courtyard Versilov, Makar Ivanovich Dolgoruky, but this is just another reason for humiliation - when meeting him, he is often asked again: Prince Dolgoruky?

Before the gymnasium, he was brought up in the boarding house of the Frenchman Touchard, where he suffered many humiliations because of his illegitimacy. All this made him especially impressionable and vulnerable. Once, having come to his half-brother, the legitimate son of Versilov, to receive money sent by his father, he was not received, although his brother was at home, the money was transferred through a footman, which caused a storm of indignation in Arcadia. His self-esteem is constantly on the alert and easily wounded, but, kind and enthusiastic by nature, with a friendly and benevolent attitude towards him, he quickly passes from resentment and hostility to love and adoration.

He comes to St. Petersburg at the invitation of his father to enter the service. In addition, his mother, meek and pious Sofya Andreevna, and sister Liza live there, and most importantly, his father, Andrey Petrovich Versilov, who belongs to the highest Russian cultural type of “worldwide support for all”. Versilov professes the idea of ​​spiritual nobility, the highest aristocracy of the spirit, considers the highest Russian cultural thought to be "the reconciliation of ideas" and "world citizenship".

In the heart of a teenager, he holds a huge place. Brought up by strangers, Arkady only once saw his father, and he made an indelible impression on him. “Each dream of mine, from childhood, resonated with them: hovered around him, reduced to him in the final result. I don’t know whether I hated or loved him, but he filled with himself my whole future, all my calculations for life. He thinks a lot about him, trying to understand what kind of person he is, he collects rumors and opinions about him from different people. Versilov is his ideal: beauty, intelligence, depth, aristocracy... And especially, nobility, which, nevertheless, is constantly questioned by Arkady.

Arkady arrives in St. Petersburg wary and aggressive towards Versilov. He wants to crush the slander against him, crush his enemies, but at the same time he suspects him of base and dishonorable deeds. He wants to know the whole truth about him. He heard a lot about his piety and passion for Catholicism, something is known about his proposal to Lidia Akhmakova, as well as about the slap in the face of Prince Sergei Sokolsky, to which Versilov did not respond. After some scandalous act, Versilov is expelled from high society, but everything is shrouded in fog and mystery.

Arkady is appointed secretary to Versilov's former friend, the old prince Nikolai Ivanovich Sokolsky, who becomes attached to an intelligent and impulsive young man. However, he soon resigns from his position out of pride, especially since the prince's daughter, the beautiful Katerina Nikolaevna Akhmakova, who has long been hostile to Versilov, accuses Arkady of espionage.

By chance, two important letters turn out to be in the hands of Arkady: from one it follows that the process won by Versilov about the inheritance with the princes Sokolsky can be revised not in his favor. The second, written by Katerina Nikolaevna, speaks of the dementia of her father, the old prince Sokolsky, and the need to take him into custody. The letter is capable of arousing the wrath of the old prince with dire consequences for the daughter, namely deprivation of inheritance. This “document”, around which the main intrigue revolves, is sewn up in the lining of Arkady’s coat, although he tells everyone, including Katerina Nikolaevna, that the letter was burned by his friend Kraft (he gave it to Arkady), who soon shot himself.

The first explanation with Versilov leads to a temporary reconciliation, although Arkady's attitude towards his father remains wary. He acts as a demon-tempter, giving Versilov a letter of inheritance, believing that he will hide it, and justifying him in advance. In addition, in order to protect the honor of his father, he decides to challenge the same Prince Sergei Sokolsky, who once slapped Versilov, to a duel.

Arkady goes to his friend Vasin to ask him to be a second, and there he meets his stepfather, the swindler Stebelkov, from whom he learns about Versilov's infant from Lydia Akhmakova. Immediately in the next room, a scandal is played out, also in some mysterious way connected with Versilov. Soon Arkady will find the continuation of this scandal at his mother's apartment, where he accidentally arrives at the same time as the young girl Olya, who angrily accuses Versilov of meanness and throws the money given to him, and a little later commits suicide. Trouble in the mind of a teenager. Versilov appears as a secret corrupter. After all, Arkady himself is the fruit of Versilov's sinful passion for someone else's wife, whom he takes away from her lawful husband. Where is the honor? Where is the debt? Where is the nobility?

Arkady finally expresses to his father everything that has accumulated in his soul over the years of humiliation, suffering and reflection, and announces his break with Versilov, so that he can then proudly retire to his corner and hide there. He does not leave the thought of a duel with Prince Sergei Sokolsky and challenges him, but he expresses his deep repentance and no less deep respect for Versilov himself. They part as great friends. Immediately it becomes known that Versilov renounced the inheritance in favor of the princes. It turns out that it was not his fault in Olya's suicide: they gave her money completely disinterestedly, as help, but she, who had already become the object of heinous attacks several times, misunderstood his act.

Two months pass, Arkady dressed up as a dandy and leads the most secular lifestyle, taking money from Prince Sergei Sokolsky at the expense of those that, as it were, rely on Versilov. His main hobby is playing roulette. He plays often, but that doesn't stop him. Versilov visits Arkady from time to time for a chat. The closest and most trusting relationship is established between father and son. Friendly relations are established with Arkady and with Katerina Nikolaevna Akhmakova.

Meanwhile, it becomes known that the legitimate daughter of Versilov, the half-sister of Arkady Anna Andreevna, intends to marry the old prince Sokolsky and is extremely preoccupied with the question of the inheritance. For her, the document discrediting the daughter of Prince Akhmakova is important, and she is extremely interested in him.

Once Katerina Nikolaevna appoints Arkady a meeting with his aunt Tatyana Pavlovna Prutkova. He flies inspired and, finding her alone, is even more inspired, dreaming that he has an appointment for a love date. Yes, he suspected her of deceit, of wanting to know about the document, but now, fascinated by her innocence and cordiality, he admiringly composes a hymn to her beauty and chastity. She slightly pushes the young man who has become too excited, although she does not at all seek to extinguish the fire that has flared up in him.

In a semi-feverish state, Arkady plays roulette and wins a lot of money. During a hysterical explanation with Prince Serezha, who offended Arkady by turning away from him in the gambling hall, he learns that his sister Lisa is pregnant from the prince. Dumbfounded, Arkady gives him everything he won. Arkady tells Versilov in every detail about his meeting with Akhmakova, and he sends her an angry, insulting letter. Arkady, having learned about the letter, in anguish seeks to explain himself to Katerina Nikolaevna, but she avoids him. Arkady plays roulette again and wins again, but he is unfairly accused of stealing other people's money and pushed out of the gambling hall.

Impressed by the humiliation he experienced, he falls asleep in the cold, he dreams of a boarding house, where he was offended by both Touchard and his friend Lambert, he wakes up from someone's blows and sees ... Lambert. An old friend brings him to him, gives him wine to drink, and Arkady, in a fit of frankness, tells him about the fatal document. From that moment on, the villain Lambert begins to weave his vile intrigues, trying to use Arcadia as well.

In turn, Prince Sergei Sokolsky, a kindly but weak-willed person, turns out to be somehow involved in the forgery of shares, which is carried out by the swindler Stebelkov, who also weaves his nets around the hero. Not devoid of conscience and honor, the prince goes to the police and confesses everything. Arrested, however, he commits another meanness - out of jealousy, he informs on Vasin, who owns a certain seditious manuscript, given by him to Lisa and from her already got to Sokolsky. As a result, Vasin was also arrested.

On the same days, Arkady, who was seriously ill, met his legitimate father Makar Ivanovich Dolgoruky, a handsome and pious old man who, on his wanderings, collected money for the construction of a temple, and now, due to illness, he stayed with Arkady's mother. During their conversations, the wise old man sheds light on his soul.

The arrival of the old prince Sokolsky with Anna Andreevna is expected, and they intend to place the prince in the same apartment where Arkady lives, in the hope that he will not stand it when he sees the prince in a state of fear and depression, and will show him Akhmakova’s letter. Meanwhile, Makar Ivanovich dies, as a result of which Versilov gets the opportunity to legally marry Arkady's mother. But a frenzied passion for Akhmakova flares up in him again, driving him to insanity. In front of the eyes of the whole family, he splits the icon especially dear to Sofya Andreevna, bequeathed to him by Makar Ivanovich, and leaves. Arkady looks for him and overhears Versilov's explanation with Akhmakova. He is shocked by his father's passion, in which love and hate fight. Akhmakova admits that she once loved him, but now she definitely doesn’t love him, and she marries Baron Bjoring because she will be calm for him.

Sympathizing with his father and wanting to save him, hating and at the same time jealous of Akhmakova, confused in his own feelings, Arkady runs to Lambert and discusses with him actions against Akhmakova in order to disgrace her. Lambert gets the Teenager soldered and at night, with the help of his mistress Alfonsinka, steals the document, sewing up an empty piece of paper instead.

The next day, the old prince Sokolsky arrives. Anna Andreevna is trying in every possible way to influence her brother, but Arkady, having repented after desperate frankness with Lambert, categorically refuses to act against Akhmakova. Meanwhile, Bjoring breaks into the apartment and takes the prince away by force. Now defending the honor of Anna Andreevna, Arkady tries to fight, but to no avail. They take him to the station.

Soon he is released, and he learns that Lambert and Versilov lured Katerina Nikolaevna to Arkady's aunt Tatyana Pavlovna. He hurries there and is in time at the most critical moments: Lambert, threatening with a document, and then with a revolver, extorts money from Akhmakova. At this moment, Versilov, who was hiding, runs out, takes away the revolver and stuns Lambert with it. Katerina Nikolaevna faints in horror. Versilov picks her up in his arms and senselessly carries her in his arms, and then lays his victim on the bed and, suddenly remembering the revolver, wants to shoot first at her, and then at himself. During the struggle with Arkady and Trishatov, who came to his aid, he tries to commit suicide, but he hits not in the heart, but in the shoulder.

After the crisis, Versilov remains with Sofya Andreevna, Akhmakov breaks up with Bjoring, and the Teenager, who has not renounced his idea, now, however, “already in a completely different form,” is persuaded to enter the university. These notes, according to the hero, served for his re-education - "precisely the process of remembering and writing down."

Nineteen-year-old teenager Arkady Dolgoruky, the illegitimate son of the nobleman Versilov, aka Teenager, keeps a diary of his growing up. The young man is obsessed with the idea of ​​accumulating a fortune, and at the same time power and solitude. The guy is brought up in a boarding house of a French immigrant, where he suffers from the fact that he is fatherless. These accusations make the boy especially impressionable and vulnerable, because his blood relatives constantly ignore him, preferring to communicate with him through a messenger or lackey. Such an attitude torments the pride of a teenager, however, a benevolent attitude towards him gives rise to love and adoration in his soul.

Later, his father invites him to serve in St. Petersburg, but the teenager perceives his father warily and aggressively, considering his father's actions unworthy and dishonorable. Arkady gets a job as a secretary for Prince Sokolsky, with whom his father's relationship can be called strained. Here the guy meets Katerina Nikolaevna, the daughter of Prince Sokolsky, with whom he subsequently develops friendly relations. However, Versilov is trying to improve relations with his son and gives him a letter of inheritance, which says that Prince Sokolsky is weak in mind and he needs a guardian who will receive the entire princely inheritance. Arkady wants to protect his father's honor and challenges Sokolsky to a duel, but he refuses to duel, expressing high respect to the father of a teenager. Arkady parted ways with Prince Sokolsky as great friends.

Once Katerina makes an appointment with Arkady, he comes to her, guessing that the prince's daughter wants to find out about the inheritance document. The young man is heated, but the princess is in no hurry to extinguish his flame of passion. In this state, Arkady goes to play roulette, where he wins a lot of money. The young man quarrels with Katerina in an attempt to unite with her, Arkady is expelled from the gambling hall on suspicion of stealing other people's money. From such humiliations, he falls asleep on the street and he dreams of the boarding house in which he spent his childhood and friend Lambert. It turns out that he did not dream of a friend, soon Lambert begins to weave intrigues against a teenager. After that, Arkady meets his legal father.

Soon Arkady's legal father dies, and Versilov gets the opportunity to marry the teenager's mother. But, alas, the prince is too carried away by the young Akhmakova, who does not love him and is going to marry Baron Bjoring. Arkady, in a desire to save his father from an unsuccessful marriage and at the same time jealous of the girl for her father, asks Lambert to disgrace Akhmakova. But the conspiracy turns against him, Lambert steals Arkady's inheritance paper, replacing it with a blank sheet.

Later, Arkady learns that Lambert, threatening her with a hereditary document, and later with a revolver, is extorting money from Akhmakova. Prince Versilov saves Akhmakova by stunning Lambert and taking his revolver. A frustrated Versilov tries to take his own life, but misses and a bullet hits him in the shoulder.

After these events, the prince remains with Arkady's mother, Akhmakova breaks off relations with Baron Byoring, and the Teenager enters the university.

Compositions