The Novel “The Precipice” by I. A. Goncharov and the Play “Truth is Good, but Happiness is Better” by A. N. Ostrovsky

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Ermolaeva, N. L. “The Novel ʽThe Precipice’ by I. A. Goncharov and the Play ʽTruth is Good, but Happiness is Better’ by A. N. Ostrovsky.” Dva veka russkoi klassiki, vol. 8, no. 2, 2026, pp. 258–283. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2686-7494-2026-8-2-258-283
Abstract:
Based on the premise of the affinity of the artistic thinking of I. A. Goncharov and A. N. Ostrovsky, the author of this article draws a parallel between works of the epic and dramatic genres: the comedy “Truth is Good, but Happiness is Better” is viewed as a peculiar adaptation of the epic novel “The Precipice”. The article analyzes the similarities between these works at the level of characters and plot situations. The dependence of characters and conflicts construction on the author’s individuality and on the genre differences between the novel and the comedy is considered. The analysis concludes that Goncharov and Ostrovsky share a deeply national commitment to truth and justice, as well as a preference for the heart over reason within the human being. The characters of the novel and the comedy are distinguished by a distinctive “heroism,” which F. M. Dostoevsky noted in his views on people in the 1860s and 1870s. The presence in Ostrovsky’s comedy of certain elements characteristic of Goncharov’s fictional world demonstrates the kinship and differences in the moral position of the two Russian writers, in their understanding of the past and future of Russia.
Keywords: cultural tradition, heroes, heroism, young generation, love plots, heart, reason, truth, justice, vision of the future
Author: Nina L. Ermolaeva
Information about the author:
Nina L. Ermolaeva, DSc in Philology, Associate Professor, Independent Researcher, Ivanovo, Russia.

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6759-3590

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Received: November 19, 2025
Approved after reviewing: March 21, 2026
Published: June 25, 2026
Issue: 2026 Volume 8 No. 2
Department: Russian Literature of the 18th–19th Centuries
Pages: 258-283
DOI: Visit Website
EDN:
https://elibrary.ru/UXIREN
UDK: 821.161.1.09"19"
Publication Type: Research Article

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