"Fathers and Sons" by Ivan Turgenev, published in 1862, portrays the generational conflict in 19th-century Russia. When young Arkady Kirsanov returns home from university with his friend Bazarov, a self-proclaimed nihilist, their radical views clash with the traditional values of Arkady's father Nikolai and uncle Pavel. Bazarov dismisses love, art, and authority, believing only in science and rationalism, yet his convictions are shaken when he falls for the elegant widow Madame Odintsova. The novel culminates in tragedy—a duel, Bazarov's fatal illness, and his parents' grief—offering a profound meditation on change, idealism, and the eternal divide between generations.
