I will also discuss the reason behind the questioning of Bazarov's Nihilism by some critiques, the role of romanticism in Bazarov's Nihilistic character and what makes Bazarov an incomplete Nihilist by taking ideas from Hagel, Clives and Nishitani.
"Fathers and Sons" is a novel that shows the growing drift between two generations of Russians. We have the character of Yevgeny Bazarov, who we see rejecting the traditional order and wanting to destruct the old in order for something new to be formed. The novel had been written as a response by Turgenev to the cultural division that he saw between the growing nihilist movement and the liberals. The Nihilists who can also be seen as the "sons" in this particular novel, sought changes in social structure that were western based. This mode of thought contrasted with the Slavophiles who believed in traditional spirituality as a path. The Slavophiles were part of Russia's 19th-century intellectual movement that wanted the future development of Russia to be based on the values derived from the nation's early history. They opposed the use of Western Europe as a model for Russia's development and modernization - they wanted Russia to follow a path determined by its own history and character. Nikolay Kirsanov and Pavel Kirsanov are the best examples of Slavophiles in Russia who do not agree with Bazarov's ideologies. We see Nikolay and Arakdey as similar characters as both try to put up with each others opposing ideas, showing patience and care. On the other hand, both Pavel and Bazarov come across as impatient as they refuse to accept each others ideas, thus leading to aggression which ends with a physical duel between the two men.
Even though Bazarov is considered to be one of the important figures of Nihilism, there are a lot of things about him that go against Nihilism. Even though Ronald Hingley calls Bazarov the "original Nihilist", but at the same time he says that "Bazarov is not the complete Nihilist".
