Oblomov is a young, generous nobleman who seems incapable of making important decisions or undertaking any significant actions. Throughout the novel he rarely leaves his room or bed and famously fails to leave his bed for the first parts of the novel. The book was considered a satire of Russian nobility whose social and economic function was increasingly in question in the nineteenth century, especially its decadence and indifference to the poor peasants. The novel was wildly popular when it came out in Russia and its characters have had an imprint on Russian culture and language. This translation made the book popular outside of its native Russia.
