A London Dandy

A London Dandy

Eugene Onegin: "Reading Fashion"

Onegin's accordance with fashion. Even in hairstyle, he sported the stylish English short cut.

Elizabeth LaFave

Text: Alexander Pushkin; Eugene Onegin
Image: Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear

Text: Oxford's World Classics
Image: Los Angeles County Museum of Art

«Вот мой Онегин на свободе;

Острижен по последней моде;

Как dandy лондонский одет –

И наконец увидел свет.

Он по-французски совершенно

Мог изъясняться и писал;

Легко мазурку танцевал

И кланялся непринужденно;

Чего ж вам больше?

Свет решил,

Что он умен и очень мил»(1, IV, 6). 


“And here’s Onegin---liberated,

To fad and fashion newly mated:

A London dandy, hair all curled,

At last he’s ready for the world!

In French he could and did acutely

Express himself and even write;

In dancing too his step was light,

And bows he’d mastered absolutely.

Who’d ask for more? The world could tell

That he had wit and charm as well” (Chapter 1, Stanza 4, Page 6).