出身知识分子家庭的外科医生日瓦戈，一次大战期间在沙皇军队供职，眼见沙皇的虚弱无能和旧军队的腐败，聪颖的心灵预感到革命力量的日趋成熟，期待革命给国家和人民带来新生，并以积极的行动拥护新的政权。然而国内战争的严酷现实，以及新政权随后的一系列政策实施，使这位诚实、正直的旧知识分子，对于暴力和集权产生了深切的怀疑和忧惧，在被迫而有系统的双重生活中，承受着巨大的压力。他称赞质朴宁静的俄罗斯品质，并向往安静地过自己的生活、做有意义的工作；而这样的人生理想，以及他与拉拉艰难优美的爱情，最终不为严酷的现实所容。 （Born in an intellectual family, the surgical doctor Zhivago served the tsarist army during The First World War. Seeing the Tsar's weakness and incompetence and the corruption of the old army, he had a presentiment of the growing revolutionary force intelligently. He was looking forward to a revolution that could bring new future to the people and the country, and advocated the new regime with his positive actions. However, due to the harsh reality of the civil war, and a series of following policies implemented by the new regime, the honest and upright old intellectual felt deep suspicion and fear for the violence and centralization. In the forced and systematic life, he suffered from great pressure. He praised the plain and quiet Russian quality and was eager for his own quiet life and meaningful job. However, such ideal of life, and his difficult and beautiful love with Lara, were eventually defeated by the harsh reality. ）