Pushkin, Fate, and Modern Man

Alexander Pushkin is often referred to as Russia’s national poet. Basically, as Virgil was to Romans so is Pushkin to Russians. A major theme in his legendary “novel in verse”, Eugene Onegin, is that of fate. The main character, Eugene, is often described as “playing his part” and fate rules over the actions of the characters. Pushkin frequently alludes to the lack of autonomy in the characters’ lives as they act out what has already been scripted for them.