How to be and what to do Chernyshevsky. What to do? Formation of the “new man” in the middle of the 19th century

The novel “What to do? "was written in record short term, in less than 4 months, and published in the spring issues of the Sovremennik magazine for 1863. It appeared at the height of the controversy surrounding I. S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons.” Chernyshevsky conceived his work, which has a very significant subtitle “From Stories about New People,” as a direct response to Turgenev on behalf of “ younger generation" At the same time, in the novel “What to do? "has found its real embodiment aesthetic theory Chernyshevsky. Therefore, we can assume that a work of art was created, which was supposed to serve as a kind of tool for “remaking” reality.

“I am a scientist... I am one of those thinkers who holds scientific point vision,” Chernyshevsky once remarked. From this point of view, that of a “scientist” and not an artist, he proposed in his novel a model of an ideal way of life. It’s as if he doesn’t bother searching for an original plot, but almost directly borrows it from George Sand. Although, under the pen of Chernyshevsky, the events in the novel acquired sufficient complexity.

A certain young lady from the capital does not want to marry a rich man and is ready to go against the will of her mother. The girl is saved from a hated marriage by medical student Lopukhov, the teacher of her younger brother. But he saves her in a rather original way: first he “develops her” by giving her relevant books to read, and then he marries her in a fictitious marriage. At the heart of them life together- freedom, equality and independence of spouses, manifested in everything: in the way of home, in housekeeping, in the activities of spouses. So, Lopukhov serves as a manager at the factory, and Vera Pavlovna creates a sewing workshop “in partnership” with female workers and arranges a housing commune for them. Here the plot does sharp turn: main character falls in love with best friend her husband, physician Kirsanov. Kirsanov, in turn, “saves” the prostitute Nastya Kryukova, who soon dies of consumption. Realizing that he was standing in the way of two loving people, Lopukhov “leaves the stage.” All “obstacles” are removed, Kirsanov and Vera Pavlovna are legally married. As the action progresses, it becomes clear that Lopukhov's suicide was imaginary, the hero left for America, and in the end he appears again, but under the name of Beaumont. Returning to Russia, he marries a wealthy noblewoman, Katya Polozova, whom Kirsanov saved from death. Two happy couples turn on general farming and continue to live in complete harmony with each other.

However, readers were attracted to the novel not by the original twists and turns of the plot or any other artistic merits: they saw something else in it - a specific program for their activities. If democratically minded youth accepted the novel as a guide to action, then official circles saw in him a threat to the existing social order. The censor, who assessed the novel after its publication (one could write a separate novel about how it was published) wrote: “... what a perversion of the idea of ​​marriage... destroys both the idea of ​​family and the foundations of citizenship, both directly contrary to the fundamental principles of religion, morality and social order.” However, the censor did not notice the main thing: the author did not so much destroy as create a new model of behavior, a new model of the economy, a new model of life.

Talking about the structure of Vera Pavlovna's workshops, he embodied a completely different relationship between the owner and workers, who are equal in their rights. In Chernyshevsky’s description, life in the workshop and the commune with her looks so attractive that similar communities immediately arose in St. Petersburg. They did not last long: their members were not ready to organize their lives on new moral principles, which, by the way, are also discussed a lot in the work. These “new beginnings” can be interpreted as a new morality for new people, like new faith. Their life, thoughts and feelings, their relationships with each other absolutely do not coincide with those forms that developed in the “old world” and were generated by inequality, the lack of “reasonable” principles in social and family relations. And new people - Lopukhov, Kirsanov, Vera Pavlovna, Mertsalovs - strive to overcome these old forms and build their lives differently. It is based on work, respect for each other’s freedom and feelings, true equality between men and women, that is, what, according to the author, is natural for human nature because it's reasonable.

In the book from the pen of Chernyshevsky, the famous theory “ reasonable selfishness", the theory of the benefits that a person receives for himself by committing good deeds. But this theory is accessible only to “developed natures,” which is why so much space is devoted in the novel to “development,” i.e., education, formation new personality, in Chernyshevsky’s terminology - “coming out of the basement.” And the attentive reader will see the ways of this “exit”. Follow them - and you will become a different person, and a different world will open up to you. And if you engage in self-education, then new horizons will open up for you and you will repeat Rakhmetov’s path, you will become special person. Here is a secret, albeit utopian program, embodied in a literary text.

Chernyshevsky believed that the path to a bright and wonderful future lies through revolution. Thus, to the question posed in the title of the novel: “What to do?”, the reader received an extremely direct and clear answer: “Move to a new faith, become a new person, transform the world around you, “make a revolution.” This idea was embodied in the novel, as one of Dostoevsky’s heroes would later say, “seductively clearly.”

A bright, wonderful future is achievable and close, so close that the main character Vera Pavlovna even dreams of it. “How will people live? “- thinks Vera Pavlovna, and the “bright bride” opens up tempting prospects for her. So, the reader is in a society of the future, where work “at pleasure” reigns, where work is pleasure, where a person is in harmony with the world, with himself, with other people, with nature. But this is only the second part of the dream, and the first is a kind of journey “through” the history of mankind. But everywhere Vera Pavlovna sees pictures of love. It turns out that this is a dream not only about the future, but also about love. Once again, social and moral issues are connected in the novel.

Summary What to do

July 11, 1856 in St. Petersburg in hotel room found a strange note similar to the last message of a suicide. It said that its author would soon be heard on the Liteiny Bridge and that no one would be blamed for this. Soon this happened. Some man was shooting himself on the Liteiny Bridge. A bullet-ridden cap was found in the river. The next morning at his dacha on Stone Island One lady was upset by this news. Her name was Vera Pavlovna. While he sat and sewed, humming some French song to himself, the maid brought her a letter. After reading it, the woman was inconsolable, and the man who entered tried to calm her down. She did not let up and blamed herself for everything.

To make it more clear why the circumstances developed this way, you need to know the backstory of Vera Pavlovna’s life.She grew up in St. Petersburg in multi-storey building on Gorokhovaya. Her father was a manager, and her mother was a moneylender. Mama was a rather stupid and angry woman who dreamed of marrying Vera off as profitably as possible. To do this, she dressed her daughter up in every possible way, taught her music, took her out into the world, in a word, she organized a hunt for a rich groom. Soon her dream came true, beautiful Vera The owner's son, Officer Storeshnikov, drew attention. Deciding to take advantage of the situation, he decided to seduce the young lady. Vera's mother demanded that she be kind to him. Knowing the true intentions of the seducer, Vera avoided the advances in every possible way, but this could not continue for long.

This situation was resolved in a completely unexpected way. A teacher was invited to their house for Vera’s brother, Fedya. He turned out to be a young medical student Dmitry Sergeevich Lopukhov. At first Verochka was wary of the guest, and then they talked together more and more often. different topics. Sharing common views on life, they felt affection for each other. Lopukhov, having learned about the girl’s difficult situation in the house, wanted to help her. He tried to find Vera a position as a governess so that she could move out of the house, but in vain. Nobody wanted to take in a young lady who had run away from home. Then he left his studies in his last year and took up private lessons to earn money for their living together. After that, he proposed to Vera. During this period, she had her first prophetic dream. In it she was released from prison and talked with beautiful girl who calls herself love for people. Then Vera promised her to henceforth release all the locked girls from the basements.

The young people rented an apartment and lived happily and peacefully. The hostess, however, considered their relationship a little strange, since they lived separately and did not enter each other’s rooms without knocking. Verochka explained to her that such relationships lead to a long and happy life. Thus, spouses will never tire of each other. Gradually, Vera took up private lessons. During breaks, she read a lot and regularly ran the household. Over time, she even conceived of her own sewing enterprise, for which she invited other girls to work. But they did not work for hire, but on equal terms with her. They began not only to work together, but also to relax together, have tea parties, and picnics. The enterprise flourished. Soon she had a second dream. In it, she looked at a field on which there were two muds: real and fantastic. The first was caring for the most necessary things and ears of corn grew from it. And the second was caring about unnecessary things. Accordingly, nothing good could come from it.

A regular of the Lopukhovs was Dmitry Sergeevich’s friend and classmate - Alexander Matveevich Kirsanov. Both of them made their own way, without any help or connections. Sometimes, when Dmitry Sergeevich was busy, Kirsanov could take Vera Pavlovna to the theater or to a concert. They talked a lot on different topics. He was a very interesting, courageous and strong-willed person. Soon, he stopped visiting the Lopukhovs, without explaining why. As it turned out, he was in love with his friend’s wife and did not want to disturb them. One day Dmitry Sergeevich became seriously ill and then Kirsanov finally appeared in their house as an attending physician. He not only treated his friend, but also helped Vera Pavlovna in everything while her husband was ill. Gradually she realized that she was also in love with this man. Vera Pavlovna was in complete confusion. Soon she had a third dream. In it she saw some stranger reading her diary. This diary said that Vera felt something similar to gratitude towards her husband, and not the tender feeling that she really needed.

This situation seemed insoluble to all three. Lopukhov found only one way out of it - a shot on the Liteiny Bridge. This news was brought to Vera Pavlovna by Rakhmetov, their mutual friend. It was he who explained to her why she was drawn to Kirsanov. Her dissimilarity with Lopukhov was so great that she needed another person. After this conversation she calmed down a little and left for a while Nizhny Novgorod. Soon she and Kirsanov got married. Vera Pavlovna opened another sewing workshop. A certain medical student from Berlin, a good friend of Lopukhov, also told her that Lopukhov and Vera Pavlovna were too different. Lopukhov himself had a penchant for solitude, and his wife was too sociable. Thus, it turned out that the situation worked out to everyone's satisfaction.

Vera Pavlovna continues to live as she lived. Now she has two types of rooms in her house: neutral and non-neutral. The latter spouses can enter without knocking. Alexander Matveevich allows her to lead her usual lifestyle and is even interested in her affairs. He is always ready to help in Hard time. With his help, she begins to become interested in medicine. Soon she has her fourth dream. In it, nature is filled with love and pleasant aromas. Before her eyes passes the history of women in different millennia, from the role of a slave to a goddess. Then a tournament takes place in which a brave knight fights for the heart beautiful lady. In the face of the goddess she recognizes herself. Although imperfect, this face is illuminated with love.

A variety of people come to visit the Kirsanovs interesting people, friends and like-minded people. They are all young, full of strength and energy, have life principles and goals. Among them, the Beaumont family especially stands out. Ekaterina Vasilievna Polozova was once the richest bride in St. Petersburg. She was in love with an unworthy person, but Alexander Matveevich Kirsanov helped her understand this situation with his advice. Soon she married Mr. Beaumont, an agent of an English company. He spoke excellent Russian. According to him, he lived in Russia for many years. Their romance developed logically and without unnecessary fuss. Both of them are balanced, self-confident people. Having met Charles Beaumont in person, Kirsanov realized that it was Lopukhov himself, and they became close family friends.

Year the book was written: 1863

Year of publication of the book: 1867

Chernyshevsky’s novel “What to do?” became widely known during the author's lifetime. But it was first published four years after it was written and was published in Paris. In Russia, it had previously been published only in separate chapters in the Sovremennik magazine. Even during Chernyshevsky’s lifetime, “What to do?” It has become possible to read in more than 10 languages ​​of the world. The influence of this novel is felt in, and many others literary works. Roman N. Chernyshevsky “What to do?” was twice filmed as television plays in Russia and Italy, and to top it off, we can add that the book “What is to be done?” Chernyshevsky is included in the curriculum of many educational institutions.

Roman Chernyshevsky “What to do?” summary

If we consider the novel “What is to be done?” Chernyshevsky's summary, the plot begins to unfold when a note is found in one of the rooms of a St. Petersburg hotel. She asks that no one be blamed for what will soon happen on the Liteiny Bridge. And it soon turns out that at night on the Liteiny Bridge a young man shot himself, whose bullet-ridden cap was soon found in the water.

Further in Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?” you can read about how Vera Pavlovna receives a letter from the maid. In it, the writer states that due to the love he feels for both of them, he is leaving the stage. Vera Pavlovna is sobbing and doesn’t know who to blame herself or the young man who came in to console her.

Further, if briefly, the novel “What to do?” Chernyshevsky read, then you will learn the story of Vera Pavlovna. She was born in St. Petersburg. Her father is a house manager and her mother is a moneylender. After Vera grew up, main goal It became profitable for her mother to give her daughter away in marriage. Ideal option she believes officer Storeshnikov only wants to seduce the girl. Not having any feelings for him, Vera is forced, at the insistence of her mother, to lure a womanizer. But this cannot go on forever and the saving stick of the main character of the novel “What is to be done?” Chernyshevsky becomes Dmitry Sergeevich Lopukhov. He was hired into their home as a teacher. Vera quickly becomes close to him and in order to save the girl, Dmitry Sergeevich proposes to her.

After this, in Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?” You can read about how faith had her first dream. In it, she is released from the basement and talks with a beauty whose name is love for people. Dmitry Sergeevich and Vera Pavlovna rent an apartment, and they even have to explain to the landlady why they sleep in different rooms. Vera Pavlovna reads a lot, runs a household and even organizes a sewing commune. After this, she has a second dream, in which she sees growing ears of corn and two types of dirt - fantastic and real. Real is caring for the essentials, and fantastic is caring for what is superfluous.

If further the novel “What is to be done?” Chernyshevsky read, then you will learn how Alexander Matveevich Kirsanov begins to appear more and more often in the Lopukhovs’ house. This young doctor achieved everything on his own and is distinguished by determination and courage. Gradually, feelings begin to appear between Vera and Alexander. Not wanting this in his relationship with his friend’s wife, he stops visiting the Lopukhovs’ house. But when Vera’s husband fell ill, he helps treat Dmitry Sergeevich. Soon the main character of the novel “What to Do?” Chernyshevsky had a third dream. In it, a woman helps Vera read her own diary. It says that she is grateful to Lopukhov, but does not feel love for him.

The solution to this situation, which arose in N. G. Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?”, finds its resolution on the Liteiny Bridge. But soon after this news, a special person in Chernyshevsky’s novel, Rakhmetov, comes to Vera Pavlovna. This young man comes from a wealthy family, but he gave away all his wealth to scholarship recipients. He worked as a barge hauler, traveled and read a lot. He tried to be as close to the people as possible and not give in to temptation. It is this special person from Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?” brings a message that radically changes Vera Pavlovna’s mood. And a week later in Novgorod the girl gets married to Kirsanov.

Soon the main character of N. Chernyshevsky’s novel “What to do?” receives a letter from someone close friend Lopukhov, who writes that after breaking up with Vera, he began to feel much easier. After all, before his solitary nature was burdened by the sociable Vera Pavlovna. Now he is much better. And Vera herself also lives very happily, because their life with Kirsanov is in many ways similar to life with Lopukhov. Vera has a lot of free time to read, begins to study medicine and opens another sewing commune. Soon she has a fourth dream, in which Vera sees the progress of women from ancient world. New people in Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?”, in her opinion, will live in houses made of cast iron, aluminum and crystal. They will work during the day and have fun in the evening. And this is the future that we should love.

Further in the novel “What to do?” Chernyshevsky can be read about how Ekaterina Vasilyevna Polozova appears in their house, among other “new people”. At one time, Kirsanov helped her a lot, revealing the true intentions of her fiancé. Soon she meets Charles Beaumont, who is an agent of an English company. Soon they get married, and when they meet the Kirsanov family, they recognize Lopukhov in Beaumont. Soon these two families settle in the same house, and Ekaterina Vasilievna creates her own sewing commune. Thus, the circle of “new people” in Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?” is expanding.

The novel “What to do?” on the Top books website

Chernyshevsky’s novel “What to do?” It is so popular to read that the book has appeared in our magazine more than once. And thanks to its presence in curriculum periodically the book is included in our rating. And given the stable high interest Chernyshevsky’s novel “What to do?” download, the book will be presented more than once in the ratings of our site.

For the first time, a separate book famous work Chernyshevsky - novel “What to do?” - published in 1867 in Geneva. The initiators of the book's publication were Russian emigrants; in Russia the novel was banned by censorship by that time. In 1863, the work was still published in the Sovremennik magazine, but those issues where its individual chapters were published soon found themselves banned. Summary “What to do?” The youth of those years passed Chernyshevsky on to each other by word of mouth, and the novel itself in handwritten copies, so much so did the work make an indelible impression on them.

Is it possible to do something

The author wrote his sensational novel in the winter of 1862-1863, while in dungeons Peter and Paul Fortress. The dates of writing are December 14-April 4. From January 1863, censors began working with individual chapters of the manuscript, but, seeing only love line, the novel is approved for publication. Soon deep meaning works reach officials Tsarist Russia, the censor is removed from office, but the job is done - rare youth club those years did not discuss the summary of “What to do?”. With his work, Chernyshevsky wanted not only to tell Russians about the “new people”, but also to arouse in them a desire to imitate them. And his bold call echoed in the hearts of many of the author’s contemporaries.

The youth late XIX century Chernyshevsky's ideas turned into her own own life. Stories about numerous noble deeds those years began to appear so often that for some time they became almost commonplace Everyday life. Many suddenly realized that they were capable of Action.

Having a question and a clear answer to it

The main idea of ​​the work, and it is doubly revolutionary in its essence, is personal freedom, regardless of gender. That is why the main character of the novel is a woman, since at that time the dominance of women did not extend beyond the confines of their own living room. Looking back at the life of her mother and close friends, Vera Pavlovna early realizes the absolute mistake of inaction, and decides that the basis of her life will be work: honest, useful, giving the opportunity to live with dignity. Hence morality - personal freedom comes from the freedom to perform actions that correspond to both thoughts and capabilities. This is what Chernyshevsky tried to express through the life of Vera Pavlovna. "What to do?" draws chapter by chapter for readers colorful picture phased construction « real life" Here Vera Pavlovna leaves her mother and decides to open her own business, so she realizes that only equality between all members of her artel will correspond to her ideals of freedom, so her absolute happiness with Kirsanov depends on Lopukhov’s personal happiness. interconnected with high moral principles- this is all Chernyshevsky.

Characteristics of the author's personality through his characters

Both writers and readers, as well as omniscient critics, have the opinion that the main characters of the work are a kind of literary copies of their creators. Even if not exact copies, then very close in spirit to the author. The narration of the novel “What to do?” is told in the first person, and the author is acting character. He enters into conversation with other characters, even argues with them and, like a “voice-over,” explains to both the characters and the readers many points that are incomprehensible to them.

At the same time, the author conveys to the reader doubts about his writing abilities, says that “he doesn’t even speak the language well,” and he certainly doesn’t have a drop of “artistic talent.” But for the reader his doubts are unconvincing; this is also refuted by the novel that Chernyshevsky himself created, “What is to be done?” Vera Pavlovna and the rest of the characters are so accurately and versatilely drawn, endowed with such unique individual qualities, which an author without true talent would be unable to create.

New, but so different

Chernyshevsky’s heroes, these positive “new people”, according to the author’s conviction, are from the category of unreal, non-existent, into one beautiful time must themselves firmly enter our lives. To enter, to dissolve in the crowd of ordinary people, to push them aside, to regenerate someone, to convince someone, to completely push the rest - those who are intractable - out of the general mass, ridding society of them, like a field of weeds. The artistic utopia that Chernyshevsky himself was clearly aware of and tried to define through its name is “What to do?” A special person, in his deep conviction, is capable of radically changing the world around him, but how to do this, he must determine for himself.

Chernyshevsky created his novel as a counterweight to Turgenev’s “Fathers and Sons”; his “new people” are not at all like the cynical nihilist Bazarov, who irritates with his peremptory attitude. The cardinality of these images is in the implementation of their main task: Turgenev’s hero wanted to “clear a place” around him from everything old that had outlived his own, that is, to destroy, while Chernyshevsky’s characters tried more to build something, to create, before destroying.

Formation of the “new man” in the middle of the 19th century

These two works of great Russian writers have become the second half of the 19th century century as a kind of beacon - a ray of light in dark kingdom. Both Chernyshevsky and Turgenev loudly declared the existence of a “new man” and his need to create a special mood in society capable of bringing about fundamental changes in the country.

If you re-read and translate the summary of “What to do?” Chernyshevsky in the plane of revolutionary ideas that deeply affected the minds of a certain part of the population of those years, then many of the allegorical features of the work will become easily explainable. The image of the “bride of her grooms”, seen by Vera Pavlovna in her second dream, is nothing more than “Revolution” - this is precisely the conclusion drawn by those who lived in different years writers who studied and analyzed the novel from all sides. The rest of the images that are narrated in the novel are also marked by allegory, regardless of whether they are animated or not.

A little about the theory of reasonable egoism

The desire for change not only for oneself, not only for one’s loved ones, but also for everyone else runs like a red thread through the entire novel. This is completely different from the theory of calculating one’s own benefit, which Turgenev reveals in Fathers and Sons. In many ways, Chernyshevsky agrees with his fellow writer, believing that any person not only can, but should also reasonably calculate and determine his individual path to his own happiness. But at the same time, he says that you can only enjoy it surrounded by the same happy people. In that fundamental difference plots of two novels: in Chernyshevsky, the heroes forge well-being for everyone, in Turgenev, Bazarov creates his own happiness without regard to those around him. Chernyshevsky is all the closer to us through his novel.

“What to do?”, the analysis of which we give in our review, is ultimately much more closer to the reader Turgenev's "Fathers and Sons".

Briefly about the plot

As the reader who has never picked up Chernyshevsky’s novel has already been able to determine, the main character of the work is Vera Pavlovna. Through her life, the formation of her personality, her relationships with others, including men, the author reveals main idea of your novel. Summary “What to do?” Chernyshevsky's list of characteristics of the main characters and details of their lives can be conveyed in a few sentences.

Vera Rozalskaya (aka Vera Pavlovna) lives in a fairly wealthy family, but everything in home She is disgusted by both her mother with her dubious activities, and her acquaintances, who think one thing, but say and do something completely different. Having decided to leave her parents, our heroine tries to find a job, but only with Dmitry Lopukhov, who is close to her in spirit, gives the girl the freedom and lifestyle that she dreams of. Vera Pavlovna creates a sewing workshop with equal rights on her income for all the seamstresses - a rather progressive idea for that time. Even her suddenly flared up love for her husband’s close friend Alexander Kirsanov, which she became convinced of while caring for the sick Lopukhov with Kirsanov, does not deprive her of sanity and nobility: she does not leave her husband, she does not leave the workshop. Seeing mutual love his wife and close friend, Lopukhov, by staging suicide, frees Vera Pavlovna from all obligations to him. Vera Pavlovna and Kirsanov get married and are quite happy about it, and a few years later Lopukhov appears in their lives again. But only under a different name and with a new wife. Both families settle in the neighborhood, spend quite a lot of time together and are quite satisfied with the current situation. In a similar way circumstances.

Does being determine consciousness?

The formation of Vera Pavlovna’s personality is far from the pattern of character traits of those of her peers who grew up and were brought up in conditions similar to her. Despite her youth, lack of experience and connections, the heroine clearly knows what she wants in life. Getting married successfully and becoming an ordinary mother of a family is not for her, especially since by the age of 14 the girl knew and understood a lot. She sewed beautifully and provided the whole family with clothes; at the age of 16 she began earning money by giving private piano lessons. Her mother's desire to get her married is met with a firm refusal and she creates her own business - a sewing workshop. About broken stereotypes, oh brave actions strong character work "What to do?" Chernyshevsky in his own way gives an explanation for the well-established statement that consciousness determines the existence in which a person finds himself. He defines, but only in the way he decides for himself - either following a path not chosen by him, or finding his own. Vera Pavlovna left the path prepared for her by her mother and the environment in which she lived and created her own path.

Between the realms of dreams and reality

Determining your path does not mean finding it and following it. There is a huge gap between dreams and their implementation in reality. Someone does not dare to jump over it, but someone gathers all their will into a fist and takes a decisive step. This is how Chernyshevsky responds to the problem raised in his novel “What is to be done?” The analysis of the stages of formation of Vera Pavlovna’s personality is carried out by the author himself instead of the reader. He guides him through the heroine's embodiment of her dreams of her own freedom in reality thanks to active work. Let it be difficult, but direct and completely passable path. And according to it, Chernyshevsky not only guides his heroine, but also allows her to achieve what she wants, letting the reader understand that only through activity can the cherished goal be achieved. Unfortunately, the author emphasizes that not everyone chooses this path. Not every.

Reflection of reality through dreams

In quite unusual shape wrote his novel “What to do?” Chernyshevsky. Vera's dreams - there are four of them in the novel - reveal the depth and originality of the thoughts that evoke in her real events. In her first dream, she sees herself freed from the basement. This is a certain symbolism of leaving her own home, where she was destined for an unacceptable fate. Through the idea of ​​liberating girls like her, Vera Pavlovna creates her own workshop, in which each seamstress receives equal share from her total income.

The second and third dreams explain to the reader through real and fantastic dirt, reading Verochka’s diary (which, by the way, she never kept) what thoughts about existence different people take possession of the heroine different period her life, what she thinks about her second marriage and the very necessity of this marriage. Explanation through dreams is a convenient form of presentation of the work that Chernyshevsky chose. "What to do?" - content of the novel , reflected through dreams, characters of the main characters in dreams is a worthy example of Chernyshevsky’s use of this new form.

Ideals of a bright future, or Vera Pavlovna’s Fourth Dream

If the heroine’s first three dreams reflected her attitude towards accomplished facts, then her fourth dream reflected dreams about the future. It is enough to remember it in more detail. So, Vera Pavlovna dreams of a completely different world, implausible and beautiful. She sees many happy people living in a wonderful house: luxurious, spacious, surrounded by amazing views, decorated with flowing fountains. In it no one feels disadvantaged, there is one common joy for everyone, one common well-being, everyone is equal in it.

These are the dreams of Vera Pavlovna, this is how Chernyshevsky would like to see reality (“What to do?”). Dreams, and they, as we remember, about the relationship between reality and the world of dreams, reveal not so much spiritual world heroine, as much as the author of the novel. And his full awareness of the impossibility of creating such a reality, a utopia that will not come true, but for which it is still necessary to live and work. And this is also what Vera Pavlovna’s fourth dream is about.

Utopia and its predictable ending

As everyone knows, your main work- novel “What to do?” - Nikolai Chernyshevsky wrote while in prison. Deprived of family, society, freedom, seeing reality in the dungeons in a completely new way, dreaming of a different reality, the writer put it on paper, without believing in its implementation. Chernyshevsky had no doubt that “new people” are capable of changing the world. But the fact is that not everyone will withstand the power of circumstances, and not everyone will be worthy better life- he understood this too.

How does the novel end? The idyllic coexistence of two families close in spirit: the Kirsanovs and the Lopukhovs-Beaumonts. Small world, created by active people full of nobility of thoughts and actions. Are there many similar happy communities around? No! Isn't this the answer to Chernyshevsky's dreams about the future? Who wants to create their own prosperous and happy world, he will create it, whoever doesn’t want it will go with the flow.

1863, "Contemporary"

1867 (Geneva), 1906 (Russia)

"What to do?"- a novel by a Russian philosopher, journalist and literary critic Nikolai Chernyshevsky, written in December - April, during his imprisonment in the Peter and Paul Fortress of St. Petersburg. The novel was written partly in response to Ivan Turgenev's novel Fathers and Sons.

History of creation and publication

Chernyshevsky wrote the novel while in solitary confinement in the Alekseevsky ravelin of the Peter and Paul Fortress, from December 14, 1862 to April 4, 1863. Since January 1863, the manuscript has been transferred in parts to the investigative commission in the Chernyshevsky case ( the last part was transferred on April 6). The commission, and after it the censors, saw only a love story in the novel and gave permission for publication. The censorship oversight was soon noticed, and the responsible censor, Beketov, was removed from office. However, the novel had already been published in the magazine Sovremennik (1863, No. 3-5). Despite the fact that the issues of Sovremennik, in which the novel “What is to be done?” were published, were banned, the text of the novel in handwritten copies was distributed throughout the country and caused a lot of imitations.

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

“For Russian youth of that time, it [the book “What is to be done?”] was a kind of revelation and turned into a program, became a kind of banner.”

The emphatically entertaining, adventurous, melodramatic beginning of the novel was supposed to not only confuse the censors, but also attract a wide mass of readers. External plot novel - love story, however, it reflects new economic, philosophical and social ideas time. The novel is permeated with hints of the coming revolution.

• In the novel by N. G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?” aluminum is mentioned. In the “naive utopia” of Vera Pavlovna’s fourth dream, it is called the metal of the future. And this great future By now (mid XX - XXI centuries) aluminum has already reached.
• The “lady in mourning” who appears at the end of the work is Olga Sokratovna Chernyshevskaya, the writer’s wife. At the end of the novel we are talking about the liberation of Chernyshevsky from the Peter and Paul Fortress, where he was while writing the novel. He never received his release: on February 7, 1864, he was sentenced to 14 years of hard labor followed by settlement in Siberia.
• The main characters with the surname Kirsanov are also found in Ivan Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons”.

Literature

• Nikolaev P. Revolutionary novel // Chernyshevsky N. G. What to do? M., 1985

Film adaptations

• 1971: Three-part teleplay (directors: Nadezhda Marusalova, Pavel Reznikov)

Notes

see also

Links

Categories:

• Literary works in alphabetical order
• Nikolai Chernyshevsky
• Political novels
• Novels of 1863
• Novels in Russian

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