Eugene Onegin, Part XLII summary
Part XLII of 368 · 1 min to read the part
In XLII, Onéguine stands absorbed in sadness beside a granite riverbank while scattered sounds interrupt the night’s quiet. The narrator turns from the passing boat’s cheerful music to a personal preference for Torquato Tasso’s poetry in a midnight dream.
What happens
- Onéguine leans over the granite edge of the riverbank in a thoughtful, melancholy mood.
- Sentinels call out, and a distant vehicle rattles along the Millionaya.
- A boat passes with splashing oars, accompanied by a cheerful song and a distant horn.
- The narrator finds Torquato Tasso’s poetry sweeter in a midnight dream.
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In this part
What to notice
The closing comparison shifts attention from the river’s sounds to the narrator’s private literary pleasure.
Quick check
What does the narrator find sweeter than the nighttime music?
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