A short story of Ivan Turgenev’s novel “Asya”


The story “Asya” is written on behalf of the Russian nobleman N. N., telling about the love story he experienced in his youth. Once, in search of new impressions, he went to Germany, where he soon became acquainted with his brother and sister Gagin, who also traveled throughout Europe. NN quickly became friends with new acquaintances. His brother attracted him with intelligence and spiritual softness, his sister Asya, an unusual behavior characterized by sharp changes of mood, freedom from conventions accepted in the aristocratic society, unpredictability and immediacy of mental manifestations. Gagin told NN Asin a secret: the girl was his half-sister on the father, who had adopted her from the maid of his late wife. Until the age of nine, Asya lived with her mother, and then, as a daughter, the master was taken to her father’s house, that left a deep imprint on her psyche. Having received in the future a good education and upbringing, the girl, however, could not fit into the noble society.

This story strengthened the feeling of love that NN felt towards Gagin’s sister. Soon Asya, who loved NN with all her heart, opened her feelings to her brother. Worried about her mental state, Gagin decided to ask her friend directly whether she shared that sister’s feelings and was ready to marry in the event of a positive response to her. Unready for changes in life, the hero promised to take a decision in the near future. In the evening of the same day, he went to a secret meeting with Asya, during which, however, he did not dare to confess to her in his love.

The next morning, Gaginy, without saying goodbye, hurried out of the city. In vain, NN, who realized his mistake during the night, tried to find them. On the loss of Asya, he bitterly regretted the rest of his life.


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A short story of Ivan Turgenev’s novel “Asya”