Female images in Chernyshevsky’s novel, what to do. The search for a “new woman” or the character of Vera Pavlovna

The main character of the novel “What is to be done?” is Vera Pavlovna.

The girl is quite beautiful, slender, and looks like a southern princess. She has thick black hair and dark skin. Vera Pavlovna is incredibly charming, feminine, and dresses with taste.

Vera grew up in a bourgeois family, where there was a terrible atmosphere of vulgarity and debauchery. Her father is a cowardly and hopeless man, and her mother is a woman with a tough temperament, complex character, very selfish. To some extent, parenting by a mother can be called tyrannical.

Vera Pavlovna is light character works. She is incredibly sensitive, kind, has spiritual harmony. She is also very creative person: loves to play the piano and sing. Her voice is simply wonderful, which makes everyone who hears it fall in love.

The main character has set the goal of her life to gain freedom and independence. She does not want to obey anyone, because since childhood she was obliged to shepherd the whole family. The girl was not afraid of dirty work, and was not white-handed. Faith is the ideal of that time. Proud, playful, independent of other people's opinions. Freedom comes first for her. This person is constantly improving himself and growing, developing his skills.

When Vera learned that her tyrant mother wants to “sell” her, that is, marry her “successfully” to some vulgar and terrible man, the girl decides to desperate step- commit suicide. After all, her ardent character and will to freedom are much more important than her mother’s whims. She is not ready to put up with such injustice; in her opinion, it is better to die than to live with someone you don’t love.

His brother's teacher, Lopukhov, helps him avoid an unwanted wedding. He organized a fictitious marriage. Faith, in turn, suits clothing industry. Its main principle is the equality of working girls; she wants to teach them freedom.

Later, Vera meets Lopukhov’s friend Kirsanov. Vera falls in love with this young man and their feelings are mutual. Lopukhov, realizing that Vera Pavlovna is under reliable protection, disappears from their lives.

The image of Vera is the desire for freedom and true happiness without any framework. This is the heroine who achieves what she wants. She will not stop on her path for the sake of her cherished goal.

Essay on Vera Pavlovna

Chernyshevsky left a legacy to his descendants in the form of a novel about “new people.” The novel “What to do?” asks the reader questions and forces him to analyze what is happening. Here you can meet a revolutionary, an educator, “new people” and a person who is not ready for the new. Vera Pavlova Rozolskaya is a woman who throughout the novel shows her strength and confidence. She's even in difficult circumstances improves, becomes the owner of a sewing workshop and a doctor. This image is written with love, since Chernyshevsky reflects in it his worldview as a revolutionary writer.

Vera Pavlovna was born and spent her childhood in a bourgeois family. Parents were not tall moral feelings. Since childhood she was forced to work. Therefore, I quit piano lessons with a teacher. But she did not agree to her mother’s persuasion to marry a wealthy man and arranged a fictitious marriage with Lopukhov. This episode shows the girl's rebellious spirit. She is not ready to come to terms with outdated laws and opposes falsehood and lies. And even in this family, everything follows the new rules: the main thing in everyday life is equality, no one crosses boundaries. Vera Pavlovna is convinced that the main thing is independence, which manifests itself not only in the ability to do what you want, but also in relation to another person and in relationships in general.

But her struggle comes down to more than just a selfish desire to be equal with a man. She saves young girls from poverty. IN new apartment organizes a sewing workshop, hires workers with whom he shares the profits equally. He not only works with the girls, but also goes on picnics and communicates in important topics. For Vera Pavlovna, it is very important to give happiness to others.

She cannot deceive her husband Lopukhov, when she fell in love with Kirsanova she immediately said so. She is self-sufficient and understands that any outcome will be correct. After all, a woman does not give up sewing and studies the medical profession. After Lopukhov’s “suicide,” she experiences pain and blames herself. But having overcome these feelings, she still remains with her beloved Kirsanov, and later another family appears in the house - Beaumont.

Vera Pavlovna loves music and theater, reads a lot of classical and modern literature. She takes care of her appearance, so she always has a neat appearance and looks feminine. But at the same time she has a strong character and a stable life position. Chernyshevsky, in the image of Vera Pavlovna, combined the features of his wife and the “new women” of that time.

"What to do?" Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky is one of my favorite novels. This novel was discussed in the 19th century, and in the 20th, and in the 21st.

Back in the 19th century, V. Gaevsky wrote about how contradictory the reviews were and expressed his opinion himself. It was like this: “In our literature, such ardent sympathy for the fate of a woman has not yet been expressed as in the novel by Mr. Chernyshevsky, sympathy, the source of which was not poetic irritation, but a bright, humane and practical view, developed by science and society" (Skaftymov A. Moral quest Russian writers, pp. 275-276). The article by U. Tsskaya “What prevents a woman from being independent” was written in the same vein.

The satirist poet V. Kurochkin, who became famous again at the end of the 20th century, was one of the first to rush to the defense of the novel. His poetic satire “Young Wife! You “What should I do?” did you take it? and “No, positively the novel “What is to be done?” not good! were widely known in the 60s of the 19th century.

D. Pisarev noted that “the novel was the “banner” of the progressive direction” (Pinaev M.T. Novel by N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?” Commentary. Moscow. “Enlightenment”. 1988, p. 29). N. Leskov either did not accept or ignored the revolutionary pathos of “What to do?”, but unconditionally approved “the ethical image of the “new people” both in the social, labor and family spheres of their activities” (N. Chernyshevsky. What to do? A book for students and teachers. M,: Olympus; AST Publishing House LLC, 2000, p. 639).

In the novel “What to do?” there are important thoughts that I like - the idea that all people should work; that there should be no exploitation of man by man; that every person should develop, read a lot; what a woman should have equal rights with a man; that a woman and a man can separate if they stop loving each other (at that time this idea was also extremely important - remember Leo Tolstoy’s “The Living Corpse”).

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the novel What Is To Be Done was very popular.

“For Russian youth,” recalls P. Kropotkin, “the story was a kind of revelation and turned into a program... None of Turgenev’s stories, no work by Tolstoy or any other writer had such a wide and deep influence on Russian youth as this Chernyshevsky's story. It has become a kind of banner for Russian youth" (A. Skaftymov. Moral quests of Russian writers. Publishing house " Fiction" Moscow. 1972, p.271). And “On September 5, 1872, the council of the Main Directorate for Press Affairs unequivocally states: “In the novel “What is to be done?” ... ideas for a new social order, which had a disastrous influence on the modern young generation” (Pinaev M.T. Roman N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?”. Commentary. Moscow. “Enlightenment”. 1988, p. 26). “This significance of the novel and the fate of its author attracted the sympathy of the younger generation to it...” (Pinaev M.T. Novel by N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?”, p. 26).

I think that the novel was popular not only because it gave recipes for the social structure of society, but also because it shows Lopukhov’s extraordinary, strong love, capable of self-sacrifice. You can find a lot in the literature female images who sacrifice themselves for love, but a man...

And the man is special, he is one of those suitors that Verochka must choose.

I remember reading many years ago that thanks to the novel “What to Do?” many revolutionaries found their family happiness.

It's no secret that family life is good only when people hold the same views. And in this work there is a whole system correct views for life. So people found their personal happiness with the help of Chernyshevsky’s book.

Do you like "What to do?"?

Yes very.

And I choose my suitors only from among her suitors.

Then, shouldn't we go for a walk around the city? This is the weather today!

It’s sad, but these days on the Internet I saw an article denying the work main idea- the idea of ​​social justice. Instead, the author tried to convince readers that this novel was only a love story. Well, then I’ll put it another way - this is a novel about how you can only love those people who oppose an unjust society and try to improve it. And this novel was written by a very educated man, Chernyshevsky knew a lot and studied a lot.

While still studying at the institute, he spoke Latin so well that he sang ancient, ancient Roman songs, read Quintilian in the original, and A. A. Tahoe-Godi wrote that N. G. Chernyshevsky used a phrase from Pliny’s work in the article “ Capital and labor".

Is Chernyshevsky's novel modern? It seems that the authors of the book for students and teachers, published in 2000 (N. Chernyshevsky. What to do? A book for students and teachers. M,: Olimp; LLC "AST Publishing House", 2000, see p. 697), doubt it. I'm very big circle friends and acquaintances. And I decided to ask my friends about it by email. And what?

Of the 10 respondents, three immediately wrote that the novel was modern.

And the heroine is unusual. And an unusual heroine has unusual dreams. What is Vera Pavlovna Rozalskaya like?

Let's start with the prototypes of Vera Rozalskaya. They were Chernyshevsky's fiancee Olga Sokratovna Vasilyeva and M.A. Bokova-Sechenova. Olga Vasilyeva was a smart, beautiful and educated girl. Nikolai Gavrilovich introduced some conversations with her into the plot of his novel. In letters from exile, consoling his wife, Chernyshevsky “pointed out the great attractiveness of her conversations for such scientists as Pekarsky, Sreznevsky, Kotlyarevsky” (Skaftymov A. Moral quests of Russian writers. Publishing house “Khudozhestvennaya Literatura”. Moscow. 1972, p. 262) . As for Bokova-Sechenova, “she was one of the first women in Russia who devoted herself to medicine” (Chernyshevsky N.G. What to do? From stories about new people. Book publishing"Elbrus". Nalchik. 1973. Research and other literature on the subject, p. 25).

And yet, in more detail, what kind of person is this Vera Pavlovna?

Literary critic V.V. Smirnova decided to show the originality of this heroine, comparing her with another heroine, Larisa Ogudalova from Ostrovsky’s drama “Dowry.”

Why them? Smirnova believes that both heroines have similar plot situations: one leaves “from the basement”, the other runs away from “ gypsy camp“, but for the first everything is resolved successfully, and for the second it ends tragically. “The basis for such a comparison is the similarity of the personalities of the heroines of N.G. Chernyshevsky and A.N. Ostrovsky: both of them are original, deep, strong, passionate natures; both are in a state of conflict, extremely aggravated, with the system of social relations surrounding them, dictating its own life standards, pushing the heroines along the path of transformation, trodden by centuries of dominance of interests of profit, the idol of money, into a thing intended for purchase and sale. From this predetermination, both strive to break out to the living sincerity of genuine human relationships, to a bright, full-blooded life in which their inner spiritual aspirations for happiness would be realized. Both see the path to this breakthrough in love and support from the other person” (Alexander Pavlovich Skaftymov in Russian literary science and culture. Articles, publications, memories, materials. PUBLISHING HOUSE OF SARATOV UNIVERSITY, p.171). “But there are differences between them,” Smirnova further states. And these differences are contained “in the heroines’ ideas about the happiness they are looking for, the ideal of life, about love; in the power of the hostile world they reject; in the integrity of the personality of one and the inconsistency of the other; V artistic ways images" (Alexander Pavlovich Skaftymov in Russian literary science and culture, p. 171).

In both works, they want to turn the beauty of the main characters into a thing. Chernyshevsky writes with indignation that “Verochka is in danger of becoming a “doll”, a “shoe”; in "Dowry" Knurov and Vozhevatov compare Larisa with an expensive diamond" Alexander Pavlovich Skaftymov in Russian literary science and culture, p. 175), and "Paratov actually makes no difference between Larisa and the steamship "Swallow": "for me<…>there is nothing treasured; If I find a profit, I’ll sell everything, whatever I want” (Alexander Pavlovich Skaftymov in Russian literary science and culture, p. 175). Let us also remember that Julie offered Vera Pavlovna to become an actress, that is, to also sell her beauty.

From these works we see the widespread attitude of buying and selling “to a smart, beautiful, poor girl...” (Alexander Pavlovich Skaftymov in Russian literary science and culture. Articles, publications, memoirs, materials. PUBLISHING HOUSE OF SARATOV UNIVERSITY, p. 175).

In addition to beauty and intelligence, Nikolai Gavrilovich also endowed his heroine with education. And we must not forget about this. Marya Alekseevna gave her the opportunity to get an education in order to later “sell” her at a higher price. Vera studied at a boarding school for four years, knows two foreign languages, reads a lot, and plays the piano. And, apparently (even in her mother’s house), she thinks and analyzes a lot, unlike Larisa Ogudalova.

So, before us is a whole nature, intelligent, educated and beautiful. Well, why is she beautiful if she didn’t become an actress? I am sure Chernyshevsky gave her this Georgian beauty for good reason. If she were ugly, one could “attribute” her social activity to her faded appearance, they say, what else would she be ugly to do besides the workshop and medicine! A kind of blue stocking!

But the resulting portrait of the main character is almost magical. But a fairy heroine needs magic, fabulousness, and they come to her in her dreams.

The dreams of Vera Rozalskaya are organically connected with the plot of the novel. And the themes of dreams are the themes that the heroes encounter in reality.

And the first theme I would call the theme of love. This is important, but not main topic in the novel.

It is interesting that in the novel “What is to be done?” Nikolai Gavrilovich teaches what true love is through the lips of Dmitry Lopukhov. Here are his words: “I would rather die than - not just demand, not just ask - but rather than allow this person to do anything for me other than what is pleasing to him; I will die sooner than allow him to force himself to do anything for me, to constrain himself in anything.” This is the kind of passion that says this, this is love" (Chernyshevsky N.G. What to do? From stories about new people. Book publishing house "Elbrus". Nalchik. 1973. Research and other literature on this topic, p. 102).

Chernyshevsky raises the problem minor role women, women's lack of rights. He really wanted to show that a woman has the right to happiness and love. Chernyshevsky was very worried about women; it is no coincidence that he admired Lessing’s drama “Miss Sarah Sampson.” After all, it sets out “the story of the suffering of a girl who violated the rules of official morality and surrendered to feelings...” (Artamonov S.D. History foreign literature 17th-18th centuries. Moscow. "Education". 1988, p.508) . Sarah, “disdaining the opinion of the world, believes that in matters of love, the voice of the heart is of primary importance, and not any secondary motives” (Artamonov S.D. History of Foreign Literature of the 17th-18th Centuries, p. 508).

Nikolai Gavrilovich also admired the works of J. Sand. In them, the writer glorified and defended love with pathos, and Chernyshevsky brought to the “foreground the improvement of the general spiritual development women and, most importantly, the development of the intellectual" (Skaftymov A. Moral quests of Russian writers. Publishing house "Khudozhestvennaya Literatura". Moscow. 1972, p. 229).

Before Chernyshevsky, Madame de Staël, Herzen, and Druzhinin also wrote about the emancipation of women; in this regard, the novel is often compared with Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons,” but “What is to be done?” turned out to be higher than them “in depth and social concreteness in discussing and resolving the issue” (Skaftymov A. Moral quests of Russian writers. Publishing house “Khudozhestvennaya Literatura”. Moscow. 1972, p. 269).

Why did this happen?

Chernyshevsky was born in Saratov. There, even as a child, he saw callous attitude to women. He especially remembered the case when “one “righteous man” - a cruel tyrant of his wife - went with her on a pilgrimage to Kyiv - he sits there, and drives his wife from the cart: “Get off, the horse is hard, go on foot.” “Matvey Ivanovich,” the poor woman begged, “you’re wearing boots, and even then you won’t get off, but how can I walk through such mud in my shoes?” - “I, scoundrel, can sit, I have no sins, but you need to walk to atone for your sins with your diligence”... (Smolitsky V.G. From ravelin. About the fate of N.G. Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?” Moscow, 1977. Publishing house "Book", pp. 12-13).

A woman depended on everything first from her parents, and then from her husband. It was quite difficult to do something in her own way; criminal penalties awaited her everywhere, so Article 1549 of the Penal Code spoke of the abduction of an unmarried woman with her consent; in articles 1554 and 1555 - about bigamy with and without forgery; in article 1556 - on marriage without parental consent; in 1592 - about stubborn disobedience to parental authority; in articles 998 and 999 - about husbands pimping their wives; and in articles 976 and 977 - on the use of other people's passports. It is no coincidence that the struggle for the emancipation of women has become integral part struggle for justice in the 60s!

The words of Vera Pavlovna sound like a manifesto of the sixties of the 19th century: “I want to be independent and live in my own way; what I need myself, I’m ready for that...” (Chernyshevsky N.G. What to do? From stories about new people. Book publishing house “Elbrus”. Nalchik. 1973. Research and other literature on this topic, p. 72). She doesn’t want to be a “lackey”, she doesn’t want to live in “idleness, luxury and vileness” (words spoken by Julie about her life), she doesn’t want to live “at the expense of a man”, Vera Pavlovna wants a new life - true love, family happiness and work for the good of the Motherland.

For centuries, a woman was allowed to work only at home, to do only housework: cooking, washing, cleaning, sewing. But in the 19th century, the first “swallows” appeared, those who wanted to work outside the home.

In Russia, the first Russian women to receive a medical degree, N.P. Suslova (1867) and M.A. Bokova-Sechenova (1871), had to complete their education at the University of Zurich. “In St. Petersburg at this time, only V. A. Kashevarova-Rudneva (1848-1909) became a doctor, who, due to a combination of exceptional circumstances, was enrolled in the Medical Academy as a “scholarship recipient.” Bashkir people", finishing it with a gold medal in 1868" (No. 8, p. 234).

Unfortunately, the problem of inequality for women persisted in the 20th century, and it has not disappeared even now. After the collapse of the socialist system, this problem even worsened. Now we have women who are sent to their voluntary deaths. And they are brought up in the appropriate spirit. These are suicide bombers.

But let me return to Chernyshevsky’s novel. In the artistic and symbolic paintings of Vera Pavlovna’s first dream, the typological unity and interconnection of the heroine’s personal liberation and the social emancipation of women are affirmed. Image-symbols play an active role in dreams. Verochka begins to see the light spiritually and is ready to free other girls from the dark basement. And indeed, later we will see how the example of Vera and her activities will influence the lives of Kryukova, Katya Polozova and many others.

Vera also dreams about Marya Alekseevna. “Marya Alekseevna, although dirt, has healthy elements; she worked in her own way, cared for a piece of bread, fought for tolerable living conditions" (Skaftymov A. Moral quests of Russian writers. Publishing house "Khudozhestvennaya Literatura". Moscow. 1972, p. 257).

Chernyshevsky shows us how other Russian women live, those who do not steal, like Marya Alekseevna. Before us is a pale, decrepit woman and a poor girl maintained by an officer. “Look, it could be worse,” the author seems to be telling us. And here we have Vera, who cannot find a job because she has no education. And that means she should starve or become a prostitute...

Vera Pavlovna's second dream begins with a conversation about the need for drainage, revolution, and ends with a revolutionary French song. And note that it is sung by women. “We will study and work, we will sing and love, there will be heaven on earth” (Chernyshevsky N.G. What to do? From stories about new people. Book publishing house "Elbrus". Nalchik. 1973. Research and other literature on this topic, pp. .38).

Faith leads to the “Fourth Dream” long road. But already at the very beginning of this path she thinks about justice and asks Dmitry: “Won’t it happen? (the poor - N.D.) - Verochka interrupted. “I myself thought that they wouldn’t exist…” (Chernyshevsky N.G. What to do? From stories about new people. Book publishing house “Elbrus”. Nalchik. 1973. Research and other literature on this topic, p. 99). And after this conversation he thinks: “Yes, it will be good when there are no poor people, no one will force anyone, everyone will be cheerful, kind, happy...” (Chernyshevsky N.G. What to do? From stories about new people. Book publishing house "Elbrus". Nalchik. 1973. Research and other literature on this topic, p. 104). The reader was surprised at that moment, because what a heroine, young, she should be thinking about love, but she...

Suddenly I started a sewing workshop.

The heroine thinks about women's fate in Russia. “Almost all paths of civil life are formally closed to us” (Chernyshevsky N.G. What to do? From stories about new people. Book publishing house “Elbrus”. Nalchik. 1973. Research and other literature on this topic, p. 377). “No, until women try to go their separate ways, women will not have independence” (Chernyshevsky N.G. “What to do?”, p. 378). “My husband is a doctor. He gives me all the time that he has freely. With such a husband, it’s easy for me to try to see if I can become a doctor. It would be very important if women doctors finally showed up” (Chernyshevsky N.G. “What to do?”, p. 378). And, having taken up medicine, Vera thinks: “In a few years I will really stand on my own two feet.” And here Nikolai Gavrilovich admires his heroine. "This great idea. There is no complete happiness without complete independence” (Chernyshevsky “What is to be done?”, p. 379), he writes.

Chernyshevsky admires, but I feel sad. I see rows of women running around massage parlors, sold into marriage for trinkets. And it makes me very sad. We could live differently...

In the fourth dream the author shows historical stages in women's lives. Also “K. Marx and F. Engels in the work “ Holy family“they noted with sympathy the words of Fourier, who argued that “the development of a given historical era can always be determined by the degree of advancement of a woman along the path to freedom... The degree of emancipation of a woman is a natural measure of general emancipation” (Pinaev M.T. Roman N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do ". Commentary. Moscow. "Enlightenment". 1988, pp. 232-233). Apparently, that’s why Nikolai Gavrilovich first talks about the lives of women in different eras, and then moves on to the lives of all people. It is important to note here that the author “believed that the women’s issue could be finally resolved only after a radical change social system"(Pinaev M.T. Novel by N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?”, p. 233).

And so first we see a female slave, then a half-slave, then a woman from knightly times. The slave has “voluptuousness and servility in her face, voluptuousness and meaninglessness in her eyes” (Chernyshevsky N.G. “What to do?”, p. 393). She must love her master because he bought her. If she doesn't love him, he will kill her. “Everything then was decided by force” (Chernyshevsky N.G. “What to do?”, p. 297). “There is no equality here,” says the bright beauty. “Then the woman was worshiped as a source of pleasure, but they did not recognize her as a human being,” the beauty further explains. “And without freedom there is no happiness.” And in knightly times, a man loved a woman “until he touched her” (Chernyshevsky N.G. “What to do?”, p. 395). He hunted, went to war, feasted, raped vassals, and she sat locked up at home, and even - I would add - in a chastity belt, because he did not trust her.

But over the centuries, “the man became smarter” (Chernyshevsky N.G. “What to do?”, p. 398), and “the woman became harder...” (Chernyshevsky N. G. “What to do?”, p. 398).

And so we achieved happiness under socialism. The Soviet woman worked, studied, and took care of her family. And the state helped her with this - opened great amount laundries, dry cleaners. Children could be sent to kindergarten and nursery. And all these services were inexpensive and accessible in terms of money. And leisure time could be spent well. There were so many amateur groups! They still exist, but then there were many times more of them. Each large plant had its own House of Culture (read in my blog “Where are you, factories?”).

AND soviet woman was moral. I have heard many times that the Nazis were surprised at the number of chaste Russian girls in concentration camps.

But the infection from the West gradually penetrated into the country. Smoking French women are fashionable... Yes, they smoked because there was no money for proper nutrition. And we came to a terrible picture. Girls and young women smoke more often than boys. And this threatens with infertility and unhealthy children.

What about prostitution? Sonechka Marmeladova immediately comes to mind. Her family had nothing to eat and nothing to live on. This still exists, you just have to move away from Moscow. But now the ancient occupation also attracts people in order to live richer. I’m not dying of hunger, but I’m standing on the street... I have to look fashionable!

Verochka, did you not even dream in your bright dreams that a woman would be freed, and then they would enslave her again, and even throw paint on her if she was not dressed according to the canons, or, as in Afghanistan, they would stone her to death for running away with beloved man. And the pimps will beat her and mock her!

“In January 2013, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Zubov, speaking in the State Duma, said that more than 1 million people are involved in prostitution in Russia.”

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.

To deceive the vigilant censors and the judicial commission, the author introduces a love triangle into the political utopia, which occupies most on the volume of 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 the hidden meanings that the author gradually introduced. He was not a writer either, he simply used a literary form that was understandable to everyone to disseminate his political views and express his deep thoughts about the just social structure 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, there are no feelings of love 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 of 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. The true meaning of the book is hidden in his image.

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 are constant participants in the action 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 the last chapters, he brings clarity and literally spells out his plan 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 it that it begins happy life heroines.
• 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 even after a while they mentioned this book. 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 the realities of 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 with words, but with rubles, participate in large and global projects that could 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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Chernyshevsky’s novel “What to do?” written in 1862-1863 and has a characteristic subtitle - “From stories about new people.” Chernyshevsky, as later V.I. Lenin was a genius of popularization.

When Verochka was sixteen years old, she stopped studying with the piano teacher at the boarding school, and she began giving lessons at the same boarding school; Then her mother found other lessons for her.” The most important character trait of Vera Pavlovna is her deep aversion to all kinds of oppression and the desire for independence and freedom.

N.G. Chernyshevsky

She says the same thing to Lopukhov: “The main thing is independence! To do what I want, to live as I want, without asking anyone, without demanding anything from anyone, without needing anyone! She has a proud, freedom-loving and determined character.

We need to know his place in the past and present, the real truth about Chernyshevsky’s book and us today

Like other “new people” of Chernyshevsky, she can only be happy when she brings joy and happiness to other people. She knows that personal happiness is “impossible without the happiness of others.” Vera Pavlovna cannot and does not want to deceive either herself or others. Having fallen in love with Kirsanov, she understands that it would be undignified and dishonest to deceive herself and Lopukhov, and she is the first to tell Lopukhov about her feelings.

Vera Pavlovna is not a “blue stocking”; she takes care of her appearance, dresses with taste, and maintains femininity and charm. Vera Pavlovna is not a scheme, but an ordinary living person, of which there were many in Chernyshevsky’s time. She is one of those women who, paving the way for herself, lead others to freedom and happiness. His novel What Is To Be Done? In general, it is polemical in relation to conservative and liberal-noble literature, and Chernyshevsky is also polemical in his interpretation of the women's issue.

This is definitely positive hero novel by Chernyshevsky. Personal happiness" was proclaimed "alpha and omega" human life, the limit of desires, the crown of aspirations. Chernyshevsky believed that a person cannot be happy “with himself.” Only in communication with people can he be truly free. And it is from this point of view that Chernyshevsky’s ethical theory is of exceptional interest.

In 1889, Chernyshevsky received permission to move to his native Saratov, where he died

But he also considered the behavior of his heroes in everyday life as their participation in the struggle for this “re-creation” of society. The selfishness of the “new people” is also based on calculation and benefit individual person. A positive person in the true sense there can only be a loving and noble person.” Chernyshevsky never defended egoism in its literal sense. It is unnatural to seek happiness in egoism, and the fate of an egoist is not at all enviable: he is a freak, and being a freak is inconvenient and unpleasant,” he writes in “Essays on the Gogol Period of Russian Literature.”

Chernyshevsky’s novel is filled with the author’s reflections on the past, present and future of Russia

The center of his attention is the person. I think that the “theory of rational egoism,” which Chernyshevsky wrote about in the 19th century, is applicable to our time, because history tends to repeat itself. In the author's understanding, it depicted Russian life in the past, present and future.

Lopukhov, Kirsanov, Vera Pavlovna are not only endowed with high moral virtues, but with will and energy, so they can build their lives according to their principles. Independent in their judgments, hardworking, they strive not only for personal happiness, but also for general well-being and to “help this come sooner.”

The ideals of freedom and truth that they profess determine their behavior in life - high friendship, dedication, respect for people. One of the most significant for that time - the women's issue - was also resolved in the novel from a fundamentally new perspective. Her happiness lies not only in love, but also in family life, but also in useful labor and social activities. It can be assumed that revolutionary influence was also meant.

New people" create new relationships in their environment

Plekhanov testified to this when he wrote: “Who has not read or re-read this famous work? For Russian youth, wrote the famous revolutionary Prince P. Kropotkin, the novel “What is to be done?” became a kind of revelation and program. Not a single one of Turgenev's stories, not a single work of Tolstoy or any other writer had such a wide and deep influence on Russian youth as this story of Chernyshevsky. It is said in its preface by the author: “I don’t have a shadow of artistic talent.

We must also take into account Chernyshevsky’s enormous authority in a democratic environment that unconditionally worshiped its leader and teacher

But first we need to find out who, when and for what purpose wrote this unique novel. The future leader of revolutionary democracy was born into the family of a Saratov priest, that is, he belonged to a clergy class that was neither ruling, nor privileged, nor truly cultural. The ideas of the theorists of French utopian socialism were familiar and close to him. The theory of rational egoism, which guides the characters in the novel “What is to be done?”, was borrowed from the English bourgeois philosopher I. Bentham.

His acquaintance with the Little Russian historian N.I. dates back to this time. Kostomarov, exiled to Saratov for opposition activities. Sovremennik began publishing a series of articles by Chernyshevsky, “Essays on the Gogol Period of Russian Literature,” which put their author in the first rank of critics and publicists. Chernyshevsky made a significant acquaintance with the gifted and equally able-bodied seminarian student N.A. Dobrolyubov, his future closest ally and like-minded person.

It is with this that Chernyshevsky’s novel thoughtfully fights with all its ideas and images. But the “happiness of all” becomes possible only in the society that Chernyshevsky’s heroes dreamed of and aspired to. The writer set this great goal for himself, and he achieved it in his social-utopian novel.

In Russia, the problem of women's equality is brought to the forefront not by chance. This is explained, first of all, by the extremely difficult situation in which Russian women found themselves on the eve of the reform of 1861.

The strengthening of the crisis of the serfdom system after 1855 caused increased attention to the women's issue. The women's issue comes to the fore. During these years, the work of N.G. Chernyshevsky developed. In his articles, the women's issue receives an even more acute civic sound. From a purely humanistic interpretation of the women's issue, Chernyshevsky moves on to a revolutionary-democratic interpretation. This process continues after 1861 and is completed by the mid-1860s.

In the novel “What to do?” Chernyshevsky spoke about Nastenka Kryukova, whose life is the same as that of other poor girls. But is moral decline inherent in a woman’s nature? No, the conditions of their life are to blame for it. It is difficult to resist moral decline “in the midst of the need and moral indifference of society.” A poor woman experiences a lot of torment and suffering before embarking on the path of “easy virtue.” In her own family, a woman gradually becomes a stranger, because she is a “freeloader”, a burden for the family. The only way out for her is marriage. There could, of course, be exceptions. There were cases when a poor girl married a noble young man who wanted to free her from domestic bondage.

Chernyshevsky depicted a similar outcome in the novel “What is to be done?”, in “The Story of a Girl.” But Lucky case rarely fell to a girl's lot. Society believes that a girl is “lucky” if she somehow arranged her life. There is no talk of happiness here. Marital happiness is rare. In the family, as in society, men want to “dominate.” The woman is humiliated to such an extent that “like an animal is called by the name of the owner,” Herzen notes. In Vera Pavlovna’s fourth dream from the novel “What is to be done?” N.G. Chernyshevsky shows the main thing that is characteristic of the relationship between the sexes - inequality.” "IN modern society“,” Chernyshevsky noted, “became simply a commercial transaction, a monetary settlement.”

G.E. paid a lot of attention to the study of women's issues. Blagosvetlov. Blagosvetlov’s views on the women’s issue are reflected in the articles “Why do we need women” (1869), “Women’s work and its reward” (1870) and a whole number of other works.

Blagosvetlov, like his predecessors - revolutionary democrats, saw in the women's issue a manifestation of a general problem - the position of man in an exploitative society.

According to Blagosvetlov, the enslavement of a woman occurred as she was displaced from the spheres in which she once resided. For centuries, women have been practicing medicine. This right was taken away from her. A working woman has always shared the burden of worries with a man. But in a capitalist society, where labor has acquired a hired character and is valued in money, women’s labor has become the lot of ruthless exploitation. Physically, a woman is weaker than a man. Therefore, it is gradually being replaced wherever a man can be hired to work. When working the same as a man, a woman is usually paid less.

Women do not participate in socio-political movements. There is no reason for this. IN difficult situation Women are to blame for the whole society, because no one seriously thought about the question of “how to help the grief” of a working woman.

While many limited themselves to advice to change a woman’s position in the family, Blagosvetlov focused on her position in society. “It is not the rehabilitation of the family,” he wrote, “that will restore the moral position of women, but, on the contrary, better economic conditions in which the woman will be placed will restore the purity of marriage and family.”

Blagosvetlov believed that if a woman’s economic situation changes, her moral state will also change and the marriage will strengthen. He saw economic liberation as the main condition for a woman’s salvation. He also outlined a specific program for economic emancipation. It included involving women in activities that would be feasible for them according to their physical abilities, establishing equal wages with men, guaranteed by law.

Blagosvetlov was sure that economic conditions primarily influence the position of the individual. He saw evidence of this in many phenomena. So, speaking about prostitution, he noted that this evil is social, directly resulting from the economic slavery of women.

In the works of N.V. Shelgunov was also interested in the women's issue great place. He is in the early 60s. drew attention to the position of a woman and her right to happiness.

Shelgunov believes that a woman has not only great moral strength, but also a wonderful mind.

But to deprive a woman of a decent education means to deprive the younger generation of an appropriate education. The woman is accused of being a bad influence on children. Life experience Women in such conditions are very organic, and she cannot fulfill her mission.

Shelgunov attached great importance family. In his opinion, she is the main cell of the civil society, which raises children for this society.

Thus, when developing the doctrine of personality, advanced Russian thinkers paid a lot of attention to the problems of women's equality. They not only theoretically substantiated the need for women's emancipation, but also developed a program for solving the women's issue. This program covered many aspects of women’s situation, including women’s labor, participation in public life, upbringing and education of women, family and marriage issues, attitude of parents and children, etc. This program formed the basis of a broad social movement in favor of women's equality that unfolded late XIX and the beginning of the 20th century.

Origin women's movement The ideas of Western figures about gender equality, humanism, and new family relationships that were penetrating into Russia also contributed to this. The work of the English philosopher John Stuart Mill “On the Subjection of Women” answered many women's issues. He proclaimed the principle of the subordination of women to men as a social evil, the strongest brake on social progress.

Justifying the need to admit women to public service and to participate in elections, Mill named a number of personal qualities of women that gave them advantages: insight, the ability to recognize people, caution, practicality.

Among the reasons for the emergence of the women’s movement, one can note the emergence of women’s periodicals “Delo”, “Zhenskoe Delo”, “Women’s Bulletin”, which published articles in defense of women’s equality, chronicled the women’s movement in Russia and abroad, talked about women’s organizations and their managers, etc.

Russian civilization