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Olga Larin
Zaretsky is a roguish friend of Lensky’s who becomes his second in Lensky’s duel against Eugene. Although both Eugene and Lensky enjoy Zaretsky’s company, he enables the duel between those two to happen by delivering Lensky’s challenge. Zaretsky is a minor character in the story, but his commitment to macho Russian traditions like the duel is one of the factors that leads to Lensky’s tragic early death.
Zaretsky Quotes in Eugene Onegin
The Eugene Onegin quotes below are all either spoken by Zaretsky or refer to Zaretsky. 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:
).
Chapter 6
Quotes
Our Lensky’s seat, there lived and thrived
In philosophical seclusion
(And does so still, have no illusion)
Zaretsky—once a rowdy clown,
Chief gambler and arch rake in town,
The tavern tribune and a liar—
But now a kind and simple soul
Who plays an unwed father’s role,
A faithful friend, a peaceful squire,
And man of honour, nothing less:
Thus does our age its sins redress!
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
‘Approach at will!’ Advancing coldly,
With quiet, firm, and measured tread,
Not aiming yet, the foes took boldly
The first four steps that lay ahead—
Four fateful steps. The space decreasing,
Onegin then, while still not ceasing
His slow advance, was first to raise
His pistol with a level gaze.
Five paces more, while Lensky waited
To close one eye and, only then,
To take his aim…. And that was when
Onegin fired! The hour fated
Has struck at last: the poet stops
And silently his pistol drops.
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Zaretsky Quotes in Eugene Onegin
The Eugene Onegin quotes below are all either spoken by Zaretsky or refer to Zaretsky. 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:
).
Chapter 6
Quotes
Our Lensky’s seat, there lived and thrived
In philosophical seclusion
(And does so still, have no illusion)
Zaretsky—once a rowdy clown,
Chief gambler and arch rake in town,
The tavern tribune and a liar—
But now a kind and simple soul
Who plays an unwed father’s role,
A faithful friend, a peaceful squire,
And man of honour, nothing less:
Thus does our age its sins redress!
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
‘Approach at will!’ Advancing coldly,
With quiet, firm, and measured tread,
Not aiming yet, the foes took boldly
The first four steps that lay ahead—
Four fateful steps. The space decreasing,
Onegin then, while still not ceasing
His slow advance, was first to raise
His pistol with a level gaze.
Five paces more, while Lensky waited
To close one eye and, only then,
To take his aim…. And that was when
Onegin fired! The hour fated
Has struck at last: the poet stops
And silently his pistol drops.
