Anthropology studies enable a deeper understanding of a writer’s base poetic concepts, therefore an anthropologic analysis of Goncharov’s novel “The Precipice” appears to be necessary. The main characters, Grandmother (Babushka), Raysky and Vera, represent different basic anthropologic features. Babushka acts as a mediator between those who stand for traditional way of living, implying sense of fate as the will of God, and position of two other characters believing in importance of their own will. The medial function of Babushka’s character refers to her experience of fail and revival. Raysky, a kind of aesthetical Don Juan, considers passions to be the greatest gift given to man, while Vera insists on priority of comprehensive will. Each character has to pass a trial to get the ethic position. Passions are considered to be the transit factor of individual will turning into acceptance of fate.

The interaction of passions as emotional self-destruction, will as rational matter, and a final humility build up the novel’s anthropology architectonics. The author’s artistic choice and cognitive structure of religious conscience in general appear to be essentially the same.