Eugene Onegin

by

Alexander Pushkin

Olga Larin Character Analysis

Olga is the daughter of Dame Larin and Dmitry Larin, as well as the younger sister of Tatyana. Most characters, particularly Lensky, consider her more beautiful than Tatyana, and Olga is also much more extraverted and social than her sister. Although she claims to be deeply in love with Lensky, the elder Eugene can sense that Olga might not be as devoted as she claims. This ends up being proven true, both when Olga seems to fall in love with Eugene after one dance and later when Olga ends up getting over Lensky’s death quickly, going off to marry a lancer. Olga represents the fickleness of youth and how even young passions that seem strong in the moment may soon be replaced.

Olga Larin Quotes in Eugene Onegin

The Eugene Onegin quotes below are all either spoken by Olga Larin or refer to Olga Larin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Youth, Regrets, and the Passage of Time Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

From early youth she read romances,
And novels set her heart aglow;
She loved the fictions and the fancies
Of Richardson and of Rousseau.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Related Symbols: Books
Page Number: 49
Explanation and Analysis:

Her husband at the time was still
Her fiancé—against her will!
For she, in spite of family feeling,
Had someone else for whom she pined—
A man whose heart and soul and mind
She found a great deal more appealing;
This Grandison was fashion’s pet,
A gambler and a guards cadet.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin, Dame Larin, Dmitry Larin
Related Symbols: Books
Page Number: 49
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3 Quotes

‘Your Olga’s look is cold and dead,
As in some dull, Van Dyck madonna;
So round and fair of face is she,
She’s like that stupid moon you see,
Up in that stupid sky you honour.’
Vladimir gave a curt reply
And let the conversation die.

Related Characters: Eugene Onegin (speaker), The Narrator (speaker), Vladimir Lensky, Olga Larin
Related Symbols: The Moon
Page Number: 59
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

How oft have tearful poets chances
To read their works before the glances
Of those they love? Good sense declares
That no reward on earth compares.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Eugene Onegin, Vladimir Lensky, Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Related Symbols: Books
Page Number: 98
Explanation and Analysis:

Oh, blest is he who lives believing,
Who takes cold intellect for naught,
Who rests within the heart’s sweet places
As does a drunk in sleep’s embraces,
Or as, more tenderly I’d say,
A butterfly in blooms of May;
But wretched he who’s too far-sighted,
Whose head is never fancy-stirred,
Who hates all gestures, each warm word,
As sentiments to be derided,
Whose heart… experience has cooled
And barred from being loved … or fooled!

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Eugene Onegin, Vladimir Lensky, Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Page Number: 106
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

But no, she can’t. What explanation? …
Well, she’s just promised his good friend
The next dance too. In God’s creation!
What’s this he hears? Could she intend? …
Can this be real? Scarce more than swaddler—
And turned coquette! A fickle toddler!
Already has she mastered guile,
Already learned to cheat and smile!
The blow has left poor Lensky shattered;
And cursing woman’s crooked course,
He leaves abruptly, calls for horse,
And gallops off. Now nothing mattered—
A brace of pistols and a shot
Shall instantly decide his lot.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Eugene Onegin, Vladimir Lensky, Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Page Number: 129
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7 Quotes

‘What can I do? Tatyana’s grown,’
Dame Larin muttered with a moan.
‘Her younger sister married neatly;
It’s time that she were settled too,
I swear I don’t know what to do;
She turns all offers down completely,
Just says: “I can’t”, then broods away,
And wanders through those woods all day.’

Related Characters: Dame Larin (speaker), Vladimir Lensky, Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Page Number: 168
Explanation and Analysis:
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Olga Larin Quotes in Eugene Onegin

The Eugene Onegin quotes below are all either spoken by Olga Larin or refer to Olga Larin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Youth, Regrets, and the Passage of Time Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

From early youth she read romances,
And novels set her heart aglow;
She loved the fictions and the fancies
Of Richardson and of Rousseau.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Related Symbols: Books
Page Number: 49
Explanation and Analysis:

Her husband at the time was still
Her fiancé—against her will!
For she, in spite of family feeling,
Had someone else for whom she pined—
A man whose heart and soul and mind
She found a great deal more appealing;
This Grandison was fashion’s pet,
A gambler and a guards cadet.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin, Dame Larin, Dmitry Larin
Related Symbols: Books
Page Number: 49
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3 Quotes

‘Your Olga’s look is cold and dead,
As in some dull, Van Dyck madonna;
So round and fair of face is she,
She’s like that stupid moon you see,
Up in that stupid sky you honour.’
Vladimir gave a curt reply
And let the conversation die.

Related Characters: Eugene Onegin (speaker), The Narrator (speaker), Vladimir Lensky, Olga Larin
Related Symbols: The Moon
Page Number: 59
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

How oft have tearful poets chances
To read their works before the glances
Of those they love? Good sense declares
That no reward on earth compares.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Eugene Onegin, Vladimir Lensky, Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Related Symbols: Books
Page Number: 98
Explanation and Analysis:

Oh, blest is he who lives believing,
Who takes cold intellect for naught,
Who rests within the heart’s sweet places
As does a drunk in sleep’s embraces,
Or as, more tenderly I’d say,
A butterfly in blooms of May;
But wretched he who’s too far-sighted,
Whose head is never fancy-stirred,
Who hates all gestures, each warm word,
As sentiments to be derided,
Whose heart… experience has cooled
And barred from being loved … or fooled!

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Eugene Onegin, Vladimir Lensky, Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Page Number: 106
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

But no, she can’t. What explanation? …
Well, she’s just promised his good friend
The next dance too. In God’s creation!
What’s this he hears? Could she intend? …
Can this be real? Scarce more than swaddler—
And turned coquette! A fickle toddler!
Already has she mastered guile,
Already learned to cheat and smile!
The blow has left poor Lensky shattered;
And cursing woman’s crooked course,
He leaves abruptly, calls for horse,
And gallops off. Now nothing mattered—
A brace of pistols and a shot
Shall instantly decide his lot.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Eugene Onegin, Vladimir Lensky, Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Page Number: 129
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7 Quotes

‘What can I do? Tatyana’s grown,’
Dame Larin muttered with a moan.
‘Her younger sister married neatly;
It’s time that she were settled too,
I swear I don’t know what to do;
She turns all offers down completely,
Just says: “I can’t”, then broods away,
And wanders through those woods all day.’

Related Characters: Dame Larin (speaker), Vladimir Lensky, Tatyana Larin, Olga Larin
Page Number: 168
Explanation and Analysis: