Novel what to do problems genre composition. Artistic features of the novel “What to do”

Nikolai Chernyshevsky’s novel “What to do?” contemporaries perceived it ambiguously. Some considered him an “abomination,” others considered him a “charm.” This is due to the complex composition, attempts to hide the main idea behind the dreams of the main character and the love triangle, and, finally, to the peculiarities of the language design. However, the novel had a serious influence on Russian society XIX century. Schoolchildren study it in 10th grade. We offer brief analysis the work “What to do?”, which will help you prepare qualitatively for lessons and for the Unified State Exam.

Brief Analysis

History of creation- N. Chernyshevsky created the novel while he was in the Peter and Paul Fortress. The writer was arrested for radical ideas. The work was conceived as a response to Turgenev’s “Fathers and Sons,” so there is a certain similarity between the images of Evgeny Bazarov and Rakhmetov.

Subject– In the work, two main themes can be distinguished - love and life in a new society built on the basis of the laws of labor and equality.

Composition- The structure of the work has its own peculiarities. The through lines of the novel are the life of Vera Pavlovna, the fates of Lopukhov and Kirsanov. The main role in these storylines is played by love twists and turns. Vera Pavlovna’s dreams are closely intertwined with reality. With the help of them, the author encrypted socio-political motives.

Genre– A novel in which one can notice the features of several genre varieties - a utopian novel, socio-political, love and philosophical novels.

Direction– Realism.

History of creation

The writer worked on the analyzed work for several months: from December 1862 to April 1863. At that time he was under arrest in the Peter and Paul Fortress. He was imprisoned for his radical views. The novel was conceived as a response to Turgenev’s “Fathers and Sons,” so there is a certain similarity between the images of Yevgeny Bazarov and Rakhmetov.

While working on the novel, N. Chernyshevsky understood that censorship would not allow it to be published if it noticed an acute political subtext. To deceive the regulatory authorities, the writer resorted to artistic techniques: framed social motives with a love context, introduced dreams into the plot. He managed to publish his work in Sovremennik, but soon the authorities prohibited not only distributing the novel, but even imitating it. Permission was granted to publish Chernyshevsky’s work “What is to be done?” only in 1905

Subject

The novel displays motifs characteristic of Russian literature of the 19th century century. The writer realized them in an extraordinary way, confusing plot. He presented situations that should push the reader to independent conclusions.

N. Chernyshevsky revealed several topics, among which the following stand out: love, which is nourished by common interests and mutual respect; dreams of a new life. Specified topics are closely intertwined and determine Problems“What to do?”: marriage without love, friendship, equality of men and women, the role of work in human life.

A significant part of the novel is devoted to the life of Vera Pavlovna. The heroine's mother wanted to marry her to a rich man. She considered the owner's son to be a profitable match. The mother did not even think that he was a womanizer with whom her daughter would not find happiness. From bad marriage Verochka was saved by medical student Dmitry Lopukhov. It arose between the young people tender feeling, and they got married. Vera became the owner of a sewing workshop. However, she did not use hired labor. The heroine made the girls who worked for her co-owners, and they shared the income equally. In the story about Vera Pavlovna’s workshop, the author embodied the idea of ​​equal labor.

The marriage with Lopukhov soon broke up: Verochka fell in love with her husband’s friend, Kirsanov. To untie the love knot, Lopukhov decided to shoot himself. It turns out that he left the note discussed at the beginning of the novel. In the message, he stated that no one was to blame for his death, and Vera Pavlovna calmly married Kirsanov.

The married couple lived happily. Vera Pavlovna was passionate about her favorite activity - sewing workshops; she began to study medicine, and her husband helped her in every possible way. In the descriptions family life These people manifest the idea of ​​equality between men and women. At the end of the novel we learn that Lopukhov is alive. Now he took the surname Beaumont and married Ekaterina Vasilievna Polozova. The Kirsanov and Beaumont families begin to become friends and spread the ideas of a “new” life.

Composition

In “What to do?” the analysis should be supplemented with a characterization of the composition. Features of the formal and semantic organization of the text allow the author to reveal several topics and veil forbidden motives. At first sight, main role love twists and turns play in the novel. In fact, they are a mask that hides social political problems . To reveal the latter, the author used the description of Vera Pavlovna’s dreams.

The components of the plot are placed inconsistently: the author presents the event from the development of actions before the exposition, and only then plot elements line up in logical chain. Both at the beginning and at the end of the novel the image of Lopukhov appears. This creates a kind of frame.

Main characters

Genre

The genre of the work is a novel, since it has several plot lines, and central problem remains open. The work is characterized by genre syncretism: it intertwines the features of love, philosophical, socio-political novels and utopia. The direction of the work is realism.

In literature classes, as a rule, attention is not often paid to Chernyshevsky’s work “What is to be done.” This is partly correct: delving into Vera Pavlovna’s endless dreams, analyzing the plot, which serves only as a frame for the main idea of ​​the work, trying through gnashing of teeth to make out what is not the most highly artistic and easy language the author, stumbling through almost every word - the classes are long, tedious and not entirely justified. From the point of view of literary criticism, this is not the most good choice for consideration. But what influence did this novel have on the development of Russian social thought 19th century! After reading it, you can understand how the most progressive thinkers of that time lived.

Nikolai Chernyshevsky was arrested and imprisoned for his radical statements against the government in force at that time. Peter and Paul Fortress. His work was born there. The history of the novel “What to Do” began in December 1862 (its author completed it in April 1863). Initially, the writer conceived it as a response to Turgenev’s book “Fathers and Sons,” where he portrayed a man of a new formation - the nihilist Bazarov. Evgenia comprehended tragic ending, but in contrast to him, Rakhmetov was created - a more perfect hero of the same mentality, who no longer suffered for Anna Odintsova, but was busy with business, and very productively.

In order to deceive the vigilant censors and the judicial commission, the author introduces a love triangle into the political utopia, which takes up most of the volume of the text. With this trick, he confused the officials, and they gave permission for publication. When the deception was revealed, it was already too late: the novel “What to Do” was distributed throughout the country in editions of Sovremennik and handwritten copies. The ban did not stop either the spread of the book or its imitation. It was removed only in 1905, and a year later individual copies were officially released. But for the first time in Russian it was published long before that, in 1867 in Geneva.

It is worth citing some quotes from contemporaries to understand how significant and necessary this book was for the people of that time.

The writer Leskov recalled: “They talked about Chernyshevsky’s novel not in a whisper, not quietly, but at the top of their lungs in the halls, on the porches, at Madame Milbret’s table and in the basement pub of the Stenbokov Passage. They shouted: “disgusting,” “charming,” “abomination,” etc. - all in different tones.”

The anarchist Kropotkin spoke enthusiastically about the work:

For Russian youth of that time it was a kind of revelation and turned into a program, became a kind of banner

Even Lenin awarded her his praise:

The novel “What is to be done?” completely plowed me deeply. This is a thing that gives a charge for life.

Genre

There is an antithesis in the work: the direction of the novel “What is to be done” is sociological realism, and the genre is utopia. That is, truth and fiction closely coexist in the book and give rise to a mixture of the present (objectively reflected realities of that time) and the future (the image of Rakhmetov, the dreams of Vera Pavlovna). That is why it caused such a resonance in society: people were sensitive to the prospects that Chernyshevsky put forward.

In addition, “What is to be done” is a philosophical and journalistic novel. He earned this title thanks to hidden meanings, which the author gradually introduced. He wasn’t even a writer, he just used a language that was understandable to everyone. literary form to distribute their political views and expressing their deep thoughts about the just social order of tomorrow. In his work, it is the journalistic intensity that is evident; it is precisely philosophical questions, and the fictional plot serves only as a cover from the close attention of the censors.

What is the novel about?

It's time to tell you what the book “What to do?” is about. The action begins with an unknown man committing suicide by shooting himself and falling into the river. He turned out to be a certain Dmitry Lopukhov, a progressive-minded young man who was pushed to this desperate act by love and friendship.

The gist of the backstory of “What to Do” is this: main character Vera lives with an ignorant and rude family, where her calculating and cruel mother has established her own rules. She wants to marry her daughter to the rich son of the owner of the house where her husband works as a manager. A greedy woman does not disdain any means, she can even sacrifice her daughter’s honor. A moral and proud girl seeks salvation from her brother’s tutor, student Lopukhov. He is secretly engaged in her education, pitying her bright head. He arranges her escape from home under the auspices of a fictitious marriage. In fact, young people live like brother and sister, love feelings there is no between them.

The “spouses” often hang out with like-minded people, where the heroine meets best friend Lopukhov - Kirsanov. Alexander and Vera develop mutual sympathy, but cannot be together because they are afraid of hurting their friend’s feelings. Dmitry became attached to his “wife”, discovered in her the multifaceted and strong personality, engaged in her education. The girl, for example, does not want to sit on his neck and wants to arrange her own life by opening a sewing workshop where women in trouble could earn honest money. With the help of true friends, she realizes her dream, and a gallery opens before us female images With life stories, characterizing a vicious environment where the weaker sex has to fight for survival and defend honor.

Dmitry feels that he is disturbing his friends and fakes his suicide so as not to stand in their way. He loves and respects his wife, but understands that she will only be happy with Kirsanov. Naturally, no one knows about his plans; everyone sincerely mourns his death. But from a number of hints from the author, we understand that Lopukhov calmly went abroad and returned from there in the finale, reuniting with his comrades.

A separate semantic line is the company’s acquaintance with Rakhmetov, a man of a new formation who embodies the ideal of a revolutionary, according to Chernyshevsky (he came to Vera on the day she received a note about her husband’s suicide). It is not the hero’s actions that are revolutionary, but his very essence. The author talks about him in detail, saying that he sold his estate and led a Spartan lifestyle in order to help his people. Hidden in his image true meaning books.

The main characters and their characteristics

First of all, the novel is notable for its characters, and not for its plot, which was needed to distract the attention of the censors. Chernyshevsky in the work “What to do” draws images strong people, “salt of the earth,” smart, decisive, brave and honest, people on whose shoulders the frantic machine of the revolution would later rush at full speed. These are the images of Kirsanov, Lopukhov, Vera Pavlovna, who are central characters books. All of them - regular participants actions in the work. But the image of Rakhmetov stands apart above them. In contrast with him and the trinity “Lopukhov, Kirsanov, Vera Pavlovna,” the writer wanted to show the “ordinariness” of the latter. IN last chapters he brings clarity and literally spells out his intention for the reader:

“At the height at which they stand, all people should stand, can stand. Higher natures, which you and I cannot keep up with, my pathetic friends, higher natures are not like that. I showed you a slight outline of the profile of one of them: you see the wrong features.”

1. Rakhmetov – main character novel "What to do?" Already in the middle of the 17th year he began his transformation into “ special person“Before that he was “an ordinary, good, high school student.” Having managed to appreciate all the “delights” of being free student life, he quickly lost interest in them: he wanted something more, meaningful, and fate brought him together with Kirsanov, who helped him take the path of rebirth. He began to greedily absorb knowledge from all sorts of fields, read books voraciously, train his physical strength through menial hard work, gymnastics, and lead a Spartan lifestyle to strengthen his will: refuse luxury in clothing, sleep on felt, eat only what ordinary people can afford. For his closeness with the people, determination, and developed strength among people, he acquired the nickname “Nikitushka Lomov”, in honor of the famous barge hauler, distinguished by his physical capabilities. Among his friends, they began to call him a “rigorist” because “he accepted original principles in material, moral, and mental life,” and later “they developed into a complete system, which he strictly adhered to.” This is an extremely purposeful and fruitful person who works for the benefit of others’ happiness and limits his own, being content with little.
2. Vera Pavlovna- the main character of the novel “What to Do”, a beautiful dark-skinned woman with long dark hair. She felt like a stranger in her family, because her mother tried to get her married at any cost. Although she was characterized by calm, poise and thoughtfulness, in this situation she showed cunning, inflexibility and willpower. She pretended to favor the courtship, but in fact she was looking for a way out of the trap set by her mother. Under the influence of education and a good environment, she transforms and becomes much smarter, more interesting and stronger. Even her beauty blossoms, as does her soul. Now we have before us a new type of confident and intellectually developed woman who runs a business and provides for herself. This is the ideal of a lady, according to Chernyshevsky.
3. Lopukhov Dmitry Sergeevich- medical student, husband and liberator of Vera. He is distinguished by composure, sophisticated intelligence, cunning, and at the same time responsiveness, kindness, and sensitivity. He sacrifices his career to save a stranger, and even limits his freedom for her sake. He is prudent, pragmatic and restrained; those around him value his efficiency and education. As you can see, under the influence of love, the hero also becomes a romantic, because he again radically changes his life for the sake of a woman, staging suicide. This act reveals him to be a strong strategist who calculates everything in advance.
4. Alexander Matveevich Kirsanov- Vera's lover. He is a kind, intelligent, sympathetic young man, always ready to help his friends. He resists his feelings for his friend’s wife and does not allow him to destroy their relationship. For example, he stops visiting their house for a long time. The hero cannot betray Lopukhov’s trust; both of them “made their way with their breasts, without connections, without acquaintances.” The character is decisive and firm, and this masculinity does not prevent him from having discriminating taste(for example, he loves opera). By the way, it was he who inspired Rakhmetov to the feat of revolutionary self-denial.

The main characters of “What is to be done” are noble, decent, and honest. There are not so many such characters in literature, there is nothing to say about life, but Chernyshevsky goes further and introduces an almost utopian character, thereby showing that decency is far from the limit of personal development, that people have become shallow in their aspirations and goals, that you can be even better, harder, stronger. Everything is learned by comparison, and by adding the image of Rakhmetov, the writer raises the level of perception for readers. This is exactly what, in his opinion, a real revolutionary looks like, capable of leading the Kirsanovs and Lopukhovs. They are strong and smart, but not mature enough for decisive independent action.

Subject

• Love theme. Chernyshevsky in the novel “What to Do” reveals a favorite motif of writers in a new role. Now there is an extra link in love triangle self-destructs and sacrifices its interests to the reciprocity of the remaining parties. A person in this utopia controls his feelings as much as possible, and sometimes even seems to abandon them altogether. Lopukhov ignores pride, male pride, and feelings for Vera, just to please his friends and at the same time provide them with happiness without guilt. This perception of love is too far from reality, but we accept it due to the innovation of the author, who presented a well-worn topic in such a fresh and original way.
• Strength of will. The hero of the novel “What Is to Be Done” curbed almost all his passions: he gave up alcohol, the company of women, and stopped wasting time on entertainment, doing only “other people’s business or no one’s business in particular.”
• Indifference and responsiveness. If Vera’s mother, Marya Aleksevna, was indifferent to her daughter’s fate and thought only about the material side of the family’s life, then an outsider, Lopukhov, without any second thought sacrifices his bachelor’s peace and career for the girl. So Chernyshevsky draws a line between the old regime philistines with a petty greedy soul and representatives of the new generation, pure and selfless in their thoughts.
• Revolution theme. The need for change is expressed not only in the image of Rakhmetov, but also in the dreams of Vera Pavlovna, where in symbolic visions the meaning of existence is revealed to her: it is necessary to bring people out of the dungeon, where they are imprisoned by conventions and a tyrannical regime. The writer considers enlightenment to be the basis of the new free world; it is with this that the heroine’s happy life begins.
• Theme of education. The new people in the novel What Is To Be Done are educated and smart, and they devote most of their time to learning. But their impulse does not end there: they try to help others and invest their strength in helping the people in the fight against centuries-old ignorance.

Issues

Many writers and public figures mentioned this book even after a while. Chernyshevsky understood the spirit of that time and successfully developed these thoughts further, creating a real memo to the Russian revolutionary. The issues in the novel “What to Do” turned out to be painfully relevant and topical: the author touched upon the problem of social and gender inequality, topical political problems and even imperfections of mentality.

• Women's question. The problems in the novel “What to Do” primarily concern women and their social disorder in reality Tsarist Russia. They have nowhere to go to work, nothing to feed themselves without a humiliating arranged marriage or even more humiliating earnings on a yellow ticket. The position of the governess is little better: no one will do anything to the owner of the house for harassment if he is a noble person. So Vera would have fallen victim to the officer’s lust if she had not been saved by progress in the person of Lopukhov. He treated the girl differently, as an equal. This attitude is the key to prosperity and independence of the weaker sex. And the point here is not about rabid feminism, but about the banal opportunity to provide for oneself and family in case the marriage did not work out or the husband died. The writer complains about the lack of rights and helplessness of women, and not about the underestimated superiority of one sex over the other.
• The crisis of the monarchy. Since the time of the uprising Senate Square In 1825, ideas about the insolvency of the autocracy were ripening in the minds of the Decembrists, but the people were not then ready for revolutions of such a scale. Subsequently, the thirst for revolution only strengthened and became stronger with each new generation, which could not be said about the monarchy, which fought against this dissent as best it could, but, as you know, by 1905 it itself was shaken, and in the 17th it voluntarily gave up its positions To the Provisional Government.
• Problem moral choice. Kirsanov encounters her when he realizes his feelings for his friend’s wife. Vera constantly feels it, starting with a failed “profitable marriage” and ending with her relationship with Alexander. Lopukhov also faces a choice: leave everything as it is, or do what is fair? All the heroes of the novel “What to Do” stand the test and make an impeccable decision.
• The problem of poverty. Exactly depressing financial situation leads Vera's mother to moral degradation. Marya Alekseevna cares about the “real dirt”, that is, she thinks about how to survive in a country where she is not considered anything without a title and wealth? Her thoughts are burdened not by excesses, but by worries about her daily bread. Constant need reduced her spiritual needs to a minimum, leaving neither space nor time for them.
• The problem of social inequality. Vera's mother, not sparing her daughter's honor, lures officer Storeshnikov to make him her son-in-law. There was not a drop of dignity left in her, because she was born and lived in a rigid hierarchy, where those who are lower are dumb slaves for those who are higher. She would consider it a blessing if the master's son dishonored her daughter, as long as he got married after that. Such upbringing disgusts Chernyshevsky, and he caustically ridicules it.

The meaning of the novel

The author created a role model for youth to show how to behave. Chernyshevsky gave Russia the image of Rakhmetov, in which most of the answers to the burning questions “what to do,” “who to be,” “what to strive for” were collected - Lenin saw this and took a number of actions that led to a successful coup, otherwise he would not have spoke so enthusiastically about the book. That is, the main idea The novel “What to Do” is an enthusiastic hymn to a new type of active person who can solve the problems of his people. The writer not only criticized his contemporary society, but also suggested ways to resolve the conflict situations that tore him apart. In his opinion, it was necessary to do as Rakhmetov did: abandon selfishness and class arrogance, help ordinary people not only in words, but in rubles, to participate in large and global projects that can really change the situation.

A real revolutionary, according to Chernyshevsky, is obliged to live the life that a simple person lives. People in power should not be elevated to a separate elite caste, as is often the case. They are servants of the people who appointed them. This is roughly how one can express the author’s position, which he conveyed to his “special” hero and which he wants to convey to the reader through him. Rakhmetov - accumulation of all positive qualities, one might say, a “superman”, like Nietzsche. With its help, the idea of ​​the novel “What is to be done” is expressed - bright ideals and a firm determination to defend them.

Nevertheless, Chernyshevsky warns the reader that the path of these people, “to which they are calling you,” is thorny and “poor in personal joys.” These are people trying to be reborn from a person into an abstract idea, devoid of personal feelings and passions, without which life is difficult and joyless. The writer warns against admiring such Rakhmetovs, calling them ridiculous and pathetic, because they are trying to embrace the immensity, to exchange a fate full of earthly blessings for duty and unrequited service to society. But meanwhile, the author understands that without them, life would completely lose its taste and “sour.” Rakhmetov - no romantic hero, but quite a real man, which the creator examines from different angles.

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The power of thought (in Belinsky’s terminology), characteristic of the entire structure of Chernyshevsky’s novel, determines both the features of the genre and new character plot, based on complete clarity and predictability of its development. The writer refuses the unexpected plot twists, secrets, external effects, with the exception of the initial chapters, the purpose of which is to interest the “simple-minded public”.

The confidence of the novel's heroes in the strength of their position, unprecedented optimism - this is a consequence of Chernyshevsky's innovative solution to the problem of the relationship between man and the environment, one of the most important for Russians. critical realism. The concept of “environment” in revolutionary-democratic literature becomes more complicated, since in addition to the circumstances traditionally opposing the hero, the idea of ​​circumstances favorable to him is introduced, of an environment that helps the formation and development of the hero. positive traits character. Chernyshevsky's heroes are no longer alone: ​​they have their own environment, their own society, their own circle of friends who are ready to immediately come to the rescue.

Chernyshevsky's skill is manifested in the innovative use of the categories of artistic time and space. The events of the novel are precisely timed to a specific historical period- the era of the first revolutionary situation in Russia. At the same time, artistic time is not confined to plot frames; it leads the reader into huge world almost all human history. The past (contrary to existing literary tradition) has no power over the heroes: it does not occupy a noticeable place either in their consciousness or in author's narration. The movement of time in the novel is not unilinear: it flows not only from the present to the future, but also in the opposite direction. The future is open for heroes. From here special function an epilogue that jumps straight into the future. Artistic time in the novel reflects the pathos of the work - triumph human mind, to whom everything is subject, which leads people out of gloomy basements, points the way to a dazzling future. “New people” outgrow their time and can leave it. This becomes characteristic of their artistic space. Suffice it to recall Vera Pavlovna’s fourth dream, which shows how the heroine miraculously ascends upward and, thanks to a new and unexpected point of view, gets the opportunity to see the grandiose expanses of the earth inhabited by free and happy people.

Of particular importance in artistic structure the novel is acquired by the author-narrator, who is one of characters works. In the system of images, the author occupies the highest place. He comments and in some cases clarifies the statements and actions of the characters. So, for example, the famous scene when Rakhmetov, testing his will, sleeps on nails, is indicative of the character of this hero, but it does not mean at all that the author completely accepts this particular method of preparing for future tests. The same applies to Rakhmetov’s statements about the impossibility of personal happiness for a revolutionary.

Reactionary criticism, seeking to weaken powerful impact novel on his contemporaries, tried to discredit him, claiming that he was extremely weak in artistically. This opinion turned out to be very tenacious. At the beginning of the 20th century. V.I. Lenin strongly objected to such views. He said: “I declare: it is unacceptable to call “What to do?” primitive and mediocre. Under his influence, hundreds of people became revolutionaries. Could this have happened if Chernyshevsky had written incompetently and primitively? For example, he captivated my brother, and he captivated me too. He plowed me deeply, This is a thing that gives a charge for life. Untalented works do not have such Influence.”

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NOVEL “WHAT TO DO?” ISSUES,
GENRE, COMPOSITION. "OLD WORLD"
IN THE IMAGE OF CHERNYSHEVSKY

Objectives: to introduce students to creative history the novel “What is to be done?”, talk about the prototypes of the novel’s heroes; give an idea of ​​the subject matter, genre and composition of the work; find out what attractive force Chernyshevsky’s books for contemporaries, how did the novel “What to do?” influence? on ; name the characters of the novel, convey the content the most important episodes, dwell on the writer’s depiction of the “old world”.

During the classes

I. Conversation on the following issues:

1. Briefly describe the main stages of life and activity.

2. Can the life and work of a writer be called a feat?

3. What is the significance of Chernyshevsky’s dissertation for his time? What is relevant in it for our days?

II. Story by a teacher (or a trained student).

CREATIVE HISTORY OF THE NOVEL “WHAT TO DO?”.
PROTOTYPES OF THE NOVEL

Most famous novel Chernyshevsky “What to do?” was written in solitary confinement in the Alekseevsky ravelin fortress for as soon as possible: started 1862 and completed 1863. The manuscript of the novel has passed. First of all, members of the investigative commission, and then the censor of Sovremennik, became acquainted with Chernyshevsky’s work. To say that the censors completely “overlooked” the novel is not entirely true. Przhetslavsky directly pointed out that “this work... turned out to be an apology for the way of thinking and actions of that category of modern younger generation, which is understood under the name “nihilists and materialists” and who call themselves “new people”. Another censor, seeing the commission’s seal on the manuscript, was “imbued with awe” and passed it through without reading it, for which he was fired.

The novel “What to do? From stories about new people" (this is the full title of Chernyshevsky’s work) caused mixed reaction readers. Progressive youth spoke with admiration about “What is to be done?” Fierce opponents of Chernyshevsky were forced to admit the “extraordinary power” of the novel’s influence on young people: “Young people followed Lopukhov and Kirsanov in a crowd, young girls became infected with the example of Vera Pavlovna... The minority found their ideal... in Rakhmetov.” Chernyshevsky's enemies, seeing the unprecedented success of the novel, demanded brutal reprisals against the author.

Their magazines also came out in defense of the novel (“ Russian word", "Iskra"), etc.

About prototypes. Literary scholars believe that the basis storyline based on the life story of the Chernyshevsky family doctor Pyotr Ivanovich Bokov. Bokov was the teacher of Maria Obrucheva, then, in order to free her from the oppression of her parents, he married her, but a few years later M. Obrucheva fell in love with another person - a scientist-physiologist. Thus, the prototypes of Lopukhov were Bokov, Vera Pavlovna - Obruchev, Kirsanov - Sechenov.

In the image of Rakhmetov, features of Bakhmetyev, a Saratov landowner, who transferred part of his fortune to Herzen for the publication of a magazine and revolutionary work, are seen. (There is an episode in the novel when Rakhmetov, while abroad, transfers money to Feuerbach for the publication of his works). In the image of Rakhmetov one can also see those character traits that were inherent in Chernyshevsky himself, as well as Dobrolyubov and Nekrasov.

The novel “What to do?” Chernyshevsky dedicated it to his wife Olga Sokratovna. In her memoirs, she wrote: “Verochka (Vera Pavlovna) - I, Lopukhov was taken from Bokov.”

The image of Vera Pavlovna captures the character traits of Olga Sokratovna Chernyshevskaya and Maria Obrucheva.

PROBLEMS OF THE NOVEL

In "What to do?" the author suggested discovered by Turgenev in "Fathers and Sons" the theme of a new public figure(mainly from commoners), who changed the type " extra person" E. Bazarov’s “nihilism” is opposed by the views of “new people”, his loneliness and tragic death– their cohesion and resilience. “New people” are the main characters of the novel.

Problems of the novel: the appearance of “new people”; people of the “old world” and their social and moral vices; love and emancipation, love and family, love and revolution ().

About the composition of the novel. Chernyshevsky's novel is structured in such a way that life, reality, appears in it in three time dimensions: in the past, present and future. Past - old world, existing, but already becoming obsolete; the present is the emerging positive principles of life, the activities of “new people”, the existence of new human relationships. The future is an approaching dream (“Vera Pavlovna’s Fourth Dream”). The composition of the novel conveys movement from past to present and future. The author not only dreams of a revolution in Russia, he sincerely believes in its implementation.

About the genre. There is no unanimous opinion on this issue. thinks “What should I do?” Chernyshevsky - a social-ideological novel, - a philosophical-utopian novel, created according to the laws typical of this genre. The compilers of the bio-bibliographic dictionary “Russian Writers” consider “What to do?” artistic and journalistic novel.

(There is an opinion that Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?” is family, detective, journalistic, intellectual, etc.)

IV. Conversation with students on the content of the novel.

1. Name the leading characters, convey the content of memorable episodes.

2. How does Chernyshevsky depict the old world?

3. Why did the prudent mother spend a lot of money on her daughter’s education? Were her expectations met?

4. What allows Verochka Rozalskaya to free herself from the oppressive influence of her family and become a “new person”?

6. Show how Aesopian speech is combined with open expression in the depiction of the “old world” author's attitude to what is depicted?

Chernyshevsky showed two social spheres old life: noble and bourgeois.

Representatives of the nobility - the homeowner and playmaker Storeshnikov, his mother Anna Petrovna, Storeshnikov's friends with names in the French style - Jean, Serge, Julie. These are people who are not capable of work - egoists, “fans and slaves of their own well-being.”

The bourgeois world is represented by the images of Vera Pavlovna’s parents. Marya Alekseevna Rozalskaya is an energetic and enterprising woman. But she looks at her daughter and husband “from the angle of the income that can be extracted from them” ().

The writer condemns Marya Alekseevna for greed, selfishness, callousness and narrow-mindedness, but at the same time sympathizes with her, believing that life circumstances made her like this. Chernyshevsky introduces the chapter “A word of praise to Marya Alekseevna” into the novel.

Homework.

1. Read the novel to the end.

2. Messages from students about the main characters: Lopukhov, Kirsanov, Vera Pavlovna, Rakhmetov.

3. Individual messages (or report) on the topics:

1) What is “beautiful” in the life depicted by Chernyshevsky in “The Fourth Dream”?

2) Reflections on (“The future is bright and wonderful”).

3) Vera Pavlovna and her workshops.

Features of the genre of the novel by N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?”

I. Introduction

The novel as a leading genre in Russian literature mid-19th V. (Turgenev, Goncharov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy). Features of the Russian novel: attention to the problem of personality, focus on moral and ethical problems, a broad social background, developed psychologism.

II. main part

1. Everything listed traits inherent in the novel “What is to be done?” At the center of the novel are images of “new people,” primarily the image of Vera Pavlovna. The author traces the formation and development of Vera Pavlovna's personality, the formation of her self-awareness, the search and acquisition of personal happiness. The main problems of the novel are ideological and moral, related to the establishment of the philosophy and ethics of the “new people”. The novel quite fully presents the social and everyday way of life (especially in the chapters “The Life of Vera Pavlovna in her Parental Family” and “First Love and Legal Marriage”). The characters of the main characters, especially Vera Pavlovna, are revealed by the author through the depiction of them inner world, that is, psychologically.

2. Genre originality of the novel “What is to be done?”:

What is there to do?" - first of all social novel, for him the problem of the relationship between the individual and society is extremely important. Outwardly, it is structured as a love novel, but, firstly, in the love story of Vera Pavlovna, it is precisely the connection between personality and living conditions that is emphasized, and secondly, the problem of love itself is for Chernyshevsky part of a broader problem - the position of women in society: what it was like what it is now and what it should and can be;

b) in the novel “What to do?” there are also features family novel: it traces in detail the domestic structure of the family life of the Lopukhovs, Kirsanovs, Beaumonts, down to the arrangement of rooms, character daily activities, food, etc. This side of life was important to Chernyshevsky because in the problem of women’s emancipation, family life plays a very significant role: only with its change can a woman feel equal and free;

c) Chernyshevsky introduces elements of a utopian novel into his work. Utopia is an image of a happy and deprived internal contradictions people's lives, usually in the more or less distant future. Such a utopian picture is presented by most of“The Fourth Dream of Vera Pavlovna,” in which Chernyshevsky goes into detail, right down to the very small parts(glass and aluminum palaces, furniture, dishes, winter gardens, the nature of work and rest), paints a picture of the future happy life humanity. Utopian paintings of this kind are important for Chernyshevsky from two points of view: firstly, they give him the opportunity to express his social and moral ideal in visual form, and Secondly, are intended to convince the reader that new social relations are truly possible and achievable;

d) Chernyshevsky’s novel can also be described as journalistic, since, firstly, it is devoted to pressing problems of our time (“ women's question", the formation and development of the intelligentsia of various ranks, the problem of reorganization social order in Russia), and secondly, in it the author more than once directly speaks out about these topical problems, addresses the reader with calls, etc.

III. Conclusion

So, genre originality Chernyshevsky's novel is defined as common features Russian novel (psychologism, ideological and moral issues, etc.), and original combination in one work genre features inherent different types novel.