“Man is born to live, not to prepare for life.”
Part One: The Early Years
The novel opens with the funeral of Yuri Zhivago’s mother, leaving the young boy orphaned. He is taken in by his uncle, Nikolai Vedenyapin, an intellectual who influences Yuri’s philosophical outlook. Meanwhile, Lara Guishar, a teenage girl from Moscow, becomes entangled with the opportunistic lawyer Viktor Komarovsky, who exploits her vulnerability. Yuri grows up alongside the Gromeko family, eventually studying medicine and developing a passion for poetry.
Part Two: The Revolution and War
Yuri marries Tonya Gromeko, and they have a son. As World War I erupts, Yuri serves as a doctor on the front lines, where he encounters Lara working as a nurse. Their connection deepens, though both remain loyal to their spouses. The Russian Revolution begins, and political chaos engulfs the country. The Zhivagos flee Moscow for the Ural Mountains, seeking safety.
Part Three: Life in Yuriatin
In the Urals, Yuri and his family settle in the town of Yuriatin, where Lara also lives. Yuri reunites with her, and their suppressed love ignites. Torn between duty and passion, Yuri struggles with guilt. Meanwhile, the brutal Civil War rages, and Yuri is forcibly conscripted by a partisan group, separating him from both Tonya and Lara.
Part Four: The Partisan Camp
Yuri spends months in the wilderness with the partisans, witnessing the horrors of war. He eventually deserts and returns to Yuriatin, only to find Lara gone. Tonya and their children have fled to Paris. Homeless and disillusioned, Yuri wanders through a Russia ravaged by war and ideological strife.
Part Five: Return to Moscow
Yuri returns to Moscow, physically and emotionally broken. He abandons medicine and lives in poverty, writing poetry that reflects his despair. He briefly reunites with Lara, but their time together is short-lived. Komarovsky reappears, coercing Lara to leave Russia with him for her safety. Yuri dies alone on a Moscow street, his heart giving out.
Epilogue
Years later, during World War II, Yuri’s half-brother Yevgraf searches for Lara, hoping to reunite her with Yuri’s daughter from Tonya. Lara’s fate remains unknown, but Yuri’s poetry endures as a testament to love and resilience amid historical upheaval.
Key ideas
- The conflict between personal happiness and societal upheaval
- The enduring power of art and poetry in turbulent times
- Love as both salvation and torment
- The individual’s struggle against ideological forces
- The fragility of human life amid historical cataclysms
Notable Adaptations
| Year | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Doctor Zhivago (film) | David Lean’s Oscar-winning epic starring Omar Sharif |
| 2002 | Doctor Zhivago (TV miniseries) | BBC adaptation with Hans Matheson and Keira Knightley |
| 2006 | Doctor Zhivago (musical) | West End production with music by Lucy Simon |
Who should read this book?
- Readers who appreciate sweeping historical narratives with deep emotional resonance
- Those interested in Russian literature and the human cost of revolution
- Lovers of poetic prose and philosophical reflections on life and art