The Precipice

by Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov

"The Precipice" by Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov is a novel published in 1869. Three men compete for the love of Vera, an independent and intelligent woman: Boris Raisky, a dilettante artist; Mark Volokhov, a nihilist preaching materialism and atheism; and Ivan Tushin, an enlightened landowner. Their struggle reflects broader tensions between new philosophical ideas and traditional values in Russian society. The novel also features Raisky's wise grandmother, creating a portrait of women navigating a changing world.