Oblomov (; ) is the second novel by Russian writer
Ivan Goncharov, first published in 1859. Oblomov is the central character of the novel, portrayed as the ultimate incarnation of the
superfluous man, a symbolic character in 19th-century Russian literature. 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 just manages to move from his bed to a chair in the first 50 pages. The book was considered a satire of Russian nobility whose social and economic function was increasingly questioned in mid-nineteenth century Russia.