Notes of a Young Man by Alexander Herzen. Short summary

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The first chapter deals with the main character’s childhood. In the second part, the young man writes about his youth. In the third part, he talks about the dull banality of the town of Malinova, where the protagonist finds himself.

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The work is presented in the form of a notebook with the notes of a young man. It is divided into several chapters.

In the chapter «Childhood,» the young man talks about his childhood, his French governess, and his teachers.

In the second part, «Youth,» the young man talks about his teenage years, his growing up, and his friendships. He is shown as a romantic and sensitive young man, brought up on the works of Schiller.

The third part, «The Years of Wanderings,» tells of the patriarchal mores of the town of Malinova, where the main character finds himself. It tells of the real reality of the Russian province, dull and vulgar.

The young man meets and interacts a lot with the landowner Trenzinsky, the only enlightened resident of Malinov, who was not affected by philistine banality.