How to be and what to do Chernyshevsky. "What to do?", Analysis of the novel by Chernyshevsky. Formation of the "new man" in the middle of the 19th century

I. Fool

The novel begins with a precise date - July 11, 1856. It was on this day that a young man settled in one of the St. Petersburg hotels. He ordered a modest dinner in the room and asked to be woken up early tomorrow to have important things to do. However, the next morning, the guest did not open the door, no matter how many knocks on it. I had to call a policeman, who also could not get through to the number. I had to break down the door.

The room was empty, but there was a note on the table. It reported that the man had left the hotel in the evening. Soon they will hear about him on Liteiny Bridge, but no one should fall under suspicion.

The policeman realized that the guest of the hotel was the very man who had shot himself that night on the Liteiny Bridge. True, the fact of suicide has not yet been proven, and the body has not been found, however, the shot-through cap has already been fished out, and many have heard the shot itself.

II. The first consequence of the stupid case

On the same morning, at the dacha of Kamenny Island, a young woman, Vera Pavlovna, sewed a dress and sang a cheerful French song about workers. However, the woman's mood was not the most rosy, she seemed to have a presentiment of trouble. Soon it happened. The maid brought Vera Pavlovna a letter, from which it became clear that the person dear to her had taken his own life.

On the woman's sobbing, a young man entered the room, who immediately rushed to calm Vera Pavlovna. However, she began to repulse the comforter and blame him for the death of their mutual friend. Then she laid the blame on herself.

Within an hour, Vera Pavlovna managed to cope with her emotions, and she decided to leave Petersburg. First to Moscow, and then to some large city where you can find a job as a governess. She announced this to the young man, assuring that it would be better for both. The young people's farewell was emotional and short.

III. Foreword

In the preface, the author, in a somewhat ironic manner, calls his readers the public. He discusses how ready society is to perceive a serious work, do people need it? After all, the most popular are detectives and low-quality romance novels. Accepting this fact, the author knows that there are still people who, in their moral and intellectual development, stand above the rest. For the sake of such readers, he wants to create.

Chapter one. The life of Vera Pavlovna in the parental family

The main character of the novel is Vera Pavlovna Rozalskaya. Her childhood was spent in St. Petersburg, in a multi-storey building on Gorokhovaya street, next to the Semenovsky bridge. Vera's father Pavel Konstantinovich Rozalsky worked as a manager in the house, and also served as an assistant clerk in one of the departments. Vera's mother Marya Alekseevna gave money on bail and made a small "capital". According to her, five thousand.

The woman brought up Faith in severity. Already at the age of fourteen, the girl sheathed the whole family. When Vera grew up, her mother began to call her a gypsy for her dark complexion. The sixteen-year-old girl often looked in the mirror and gradually came to terms with the fact that she was ugly. In fact, this was not the case. Soon Marya Alekseevna stopped calling her daughter a scarecrow and dressing her up in rags. On the contrary, I began to buy her expensive and beautiful dresses.

And all because the calculating woman decided to find a rich groom for her Vera. At this time, there was a rumor that the boss of Pavel Konstantinovich was interested in Vera. This option was quite acceptable for Marya Alekseevna, but the official thought too long and could not take the first step.

Then Marya Alekseevna drew attention to the master's son - a young officer and fashionable dandy Mikhail Ivanovich Streshnikov, who sometimes came to their apartment. She instructed her daughter to be more affectionate with her boyfriend, even organized a trip to the theater, where Vera, Marya Alekseevna and the master's son with two friends were in the same box. However, Vera, referring to a headache, went home. She perfectly understood the intentions of the young womanizer, who only wanted to seduce her.

But Marya Alekseevna did not want to retreat from her plan. She was firmly convinced that sooner or later Streshnikov would marry her daughter. For this, an enterprising woman was ready to make every effort. Since then, life in the parental home has become unbearable for Vera.

Events unfolded as usual. Mikhail Streshnikov could no longer give up the idea of ​​possessing Vera. If she does not want to become a mistress, then let him marry him. Given the wealth and position of Mikhail Ivanovich, every girl from an ordinary family could not refuse such a profitable party. Storeshnikova and his French friend Julie pushed to marry. The lady of the half-world was sure that by marrying such an intelligent and beautiful girl, Mikhail would make a brilliant career.

However, Vera refused the offer, which further inflamed Mikhail's passion. He began to beg the girl not to answer him with a categorical "no", but to give him a chance to improve and earn her love. Vera Pavlovna agreed, although she warned Streshnikov that she would not change her decision.

This situation lasted for about four months. Marya Alekseevna, Pavel Konstantinovich, Verochka, Mikhail Streshnikov and his mother Anna Petrovna have been waiting all these days: when will the matter finally become clear?

Chapter two. First love and legal marriage

A young man, Dmitry Sergeevich Lopukhov, began to appear in the Rozalskys' house. He was a medical student who worked as a private tutor for a living. Since Vera Pavlovna's nine-year-old brother Dmitry needed a tutor, Lopukhov was invited to help the boy in mastering some disciplines.

Vera did not meet Dmitry immediately. At first, she learned from Fyodor that his teacher was a busy man, he paid little attention to women, even to such pretty ones as his sister. This information from her brother somewhat disappointed Vera, she decided that Dmitry is a rather boring person, although he is not bad-minded.

But soon in the relationship of the two young people, dramatic changes took place. It happened at Vera Pavlovna's birthday party, where Lopukhov was also invited. There were not many guests, since the birthday girl wanted to celebrate the holiday in a relaxed atmosphere. Verochka danced the first square dance with the "official" groom. And during the third square dance, her partner was Dmitry Lopukhov. The first frank conversation took place between the young people. During the evening, they talked several more times and felt an affection for each other.

Lopukhov told Vera that he lives in a rented apartment with his very close friend Alexander Kirsanov, who has dark blond hair and dark blue eyes. Kirsanov has already graduated from the Medical Academy, is considered an excellent doctor, although he has a small medical practice, and is more inclined towards scientific work.

The next day, Vera Pavlovna decided that Lopukhov could be completely trusted, so she told the student about her plight. Dmitry decided to help the girl and persistently began to look for a place for her as a governess.

Verochka's first dream

Around this time, Vera Pavlovna had her first significant dream, of which there will be four in the novel. In a dream, Vera breaks out of the stuffy basement in which she lay and was sick. She walks in the fresh air, in a beautiful field, where she meets a kind, charming woman who helps everyone. Vera promises her new friend that she will also release women from dark and damp cellars to freedom.

And the reality is that no one wants to take responsibility for the girl who is going to leave the parental home. Vera meets with Dmitry at the agreed place, but each time the young man cannot tell her anything comforting.

Soon, Dmitry clearly understands that in this way he will not be able to get Vera out of the parental home and decides to marry her. Lopukhov makes an offer to Rosalskaya. Vera Pavlovna agrees, but immediately sets out her own conditions, since the marriage is formal. They will not only sleep with Dmitry separately, but also spend most of their time in different rooms. In addition, Vera Pavlovna does not want Alexander Kirsanov to live with them.

Lopukhov agrees to all the conditions, moreover, he tries to earn as much money as possible so that the new family does not need anything. Dmitry understands that he needs to rent an apartment for the first time. He manages to find decent and inexpensive housing on Vasilievsky Island.

The newlyweds were married by Lopukhov's acquaintance, priest Alexei Petrovich Mertsalov, who once graduated from the course at the theological academy. Before this sacrament, Dmitry invited Vera to kiss so as not to feel special awkwardness during the ceremony. After all, there, too, you need to kiss, such is the church tradition.

After the wedding, Vera Pavlovna was no longer kept in her parents' house. Only it was necessary to somehow explain to my mother. The girl decided that it would be best to inform her about this outside the house, so that Marya Alekseevna would not restrain her daughter by force. Soon a suitable excuse was found. When Vera Pavlovna told her mother that she was going for a walk along Nevsky Prospekt, Marya Alekseevna volunteered to keep her company. Near Ruzanov's shop, Vera quickly informed her mother that she was leaving home, since she had married Dmitry Sergeevich. The girl quickly jumped into the first carriage she saw.

Chapter three. Marriage and second love

Three months have passed since Vera Pavlovna began to live in a rented apartment with Dmitry Lopukhov. The owner and hostess of the apartment were, however, surprised by the relationship of the newlyweds. "Sweetheart" and "sweetheart" slept in different rooms, they entered each other only at a knock. They were always neatly dressed. Vera tried to explain to the hostess that such a relationship guaranteed a long family life, but she hardly agreed with her.

But things in the new family were going well. Vera Pavlovna also contributed to the family budget. She gave private lessons, and soon opened a small sewing workshop. Julie helped her in this.

Vera Pavlovna's second dream

First, Vera Pavlovna saw a spike field. Her husband and Alexei Petrovich Mertsalov were walking there. They had a philosophical conversation about dirt. From their judgments it came out that dirt can be useful and harmful, from which nothing can grow. It all depends on the movement. If not, the dirt stagnates. And where there is stagnation, there is no life. Then the heroes of the novel begin to remember their past. Mertsalov talks about a difficult childhood, about how his mother had to work day and night to serve a large family. Vera Pavlovna also remembered her mother Marya Alekseevna, who took care of her daughter, educated her, dressed and fed her. Vera comes to the conclusion that her mother, although evil, did good for her daughter. And over time, evil people will become less and less, they will gradually be replaced by good ones.

Further, it tells in detail about how Vera Pavlovna did business, organized work in her sewing workshop in a new way, and attracted all employees to actively participate in the production process. The girls, who were carefully selected by Vera Pavlovna, did not work for hire, but were co-owners of the workshop, receiving their own percentage of the income. Vera Pavlovna also took care of the rest of her wards. In our free time, we walked together, went to picnics. So successfully and comfortably passed the three years of Verochka's marriage and the establishment of the workshop.

Somehow, after one picnic, Dmitry Sergeevich felt unwell and turned to Alexander Kirsanov for help. Together they determined that Lopukhov had developed pneumonia. The disease is not yet dangerous, but measures must be taken. Since then, Alexander Kirsanov began to often visit the Lopukhovs' house, reprimanded Vera Pavlovna for being very worried, not sleeping at night, which could cause serious harm to her health.

A few years ago, Kirsanov suddenly realized that he had tender feelings for Vera Pavlovna, but he immediately decided that he should not create problems for his friend. With an effort of will, he extinguished these feelings. I practically stopped visiting the Lopukhovs' house. However, now Kirsanov was afraid that a new spark might flare up. Indeed, something has changed in the relationship between young people. They felt that they were in love with each other. Both Kirsanov and Vera Pavlovna understood perfectly well that the “fictitious” marriage of a woman to Lopukhov brings a comfortable and well-to-do life. But their hearts yearned for love.

Vera Pavlovna's third dream

In this dream, Vera Pavlovna's secret feelings are manifested, much of what she was afraid to admit even to herself. Together with the famous singer Bosio, Vera Pavlovna reads her diary, which, by the way, she never kept in real life. From her notes it becomes clear that a woman has many wonderful feelings for her husband: respect, gratitude, trust ... However, this list does not include the love that Vera Pavlovna has for Alexander Kirsanov. A woman really wants to love her husband, but she cannot command her heart.

After a while, Vera Pavlovna decides to tell Dmitry Sergeevich her dream, and then writes a letter to her husband, in which she admits that she loves Kirsanov. Vera Pavlovna left this letter in Lopukhov's office, wanted to pick it up, but did not have time. Dmitry Sergeevich was already mentally prepared for such a turn of affairs, therefore, after Vera's confession, he left for Ryazan, and from there - to St. Petersburg, where he settled on July 11 at a hotel. Now it becomes clear who the man was who, at the beginning of the novel, shot himself on the Liteiny Bridge. But what happened to Lopukhov after all? After all, they found only his shot-through cap.

Soon after Vera Pavlovna found out about what had happened and began to pack her things for the journey, a friend of her husband and Kirsanov, a student Rakhmetov, came to visit her. The following is a detailed story about this person, his relationship, lifestyle and many interesting character traits. The image of Rakhmetov is mysterious and unsaid, but all critics see him as a future revolutionary, and the author calls Rakhmetov "a special person."

At the time of the story, Rakhmetov is only 22 years old, however, he has already seen a lot. In order to develop will and temper character, the young man slept on nails, helped the barge haulers on a journey along the Volga, to maintain physical strength he ate only beef.

Belonging to a noble family and being a rich man, Rakhmetov easily parted with money in favor of the poor, led a Spartan lifestyle, spent only part of his income on himself. The image of Rakhmetov, in the best possible way, personifies the new people to whom Chernyshevsky's novel is dedicated.

Rakhmetov's visit to Vera Pavlovna that fateful day was not accidental. The student brought the woman a note from Lopukhov. In it, Dmitry Sergeevich asks his "sweetheart" to obey this person in everything. Rakhmetov himself calmly and reasonedly explains to Vera Pavlovna that Rozalskaya has many contradictions with Lopukhov. They have too different characters, so such a union could not exist for a long time.

Rakhmetov's words reassure Vera Pavlovna, she completely agrees with such arguments. After a while, the woman leaves for Novgorod, where she meets Alexander Kirsanov.

Chapter four. Second marriage

Vera Pavlovna receives a letter from Berlin from a man who calls himself a close friend of Lopukhov. In this message, the stranger allegedly conveys the thoughts of Dmitry Sergeevich. For example, that he and Vera Pavlovna are very different people. Parting was the best way out of their situation. Lopukhov analyzes all the circumstances of their strange family life.

Vera Pavlovna answers the letter. She analyzes in the same detail the actions of her husband, Alexander Kirsanov, and her own. Relationships within their triangle were distinguished by reasonable egoism, which corresponded to the lifestyle of her friends, and later of Vera Pavlovna herself.

The family life of Rozalskaya and Kirsanov goes on as usual. The couple live on Sergievskaya Street, closer to the Vyborg side. Their house has neutral and non-neutral rooms, which are allowed to enter only after knocking.

Everyone is working hard because another sewing workshop has opened. However, Vera Pavlovna does not forget about herself, she leads a lifestyle that she likes. The spouse is happy to help with this. He is keenly interested in all the affairs of his wife, her mood and well-being. In difficult times, Alexander Kirsanov is ready to lend a man's shoulder. And the beloved spouse helps his wife to study medicine. Vera Pavlovna sometimes goes to her husband to work, to the hospital. In the nineteenth century, women practically did not work as doctors, so Vera Pavlovna's decision was bold.

In a word, everyday life and holidays in the Kirsanov family are filled with interesting things and communication.

The fourth dream of Vera Pavlovna

This time Vera Pavlovna sees in a dream historical pictures, in the center of which is the image of a woman in different eras and among different peoples. But, neither in Astarte, nor in Aphrodite, nor in another woman-queen, Vera Pavlovna does not recognize herself. Nor does she personify herself with the beautiful lady, for whom the knights are fighting in the tournament. Vera Pavlovna understands that love for a woman in the past was ardent, tender, sublime. But she was never free from violence, did not bring a woman real happiness.

And suddenly Vera Pavlovna sees herself in the form of a woman-goddess. Her face is illuminated with the radiance of love. Then bright pictures of the future of Russia flash before the eyes of the woman. Happy people live in beautiful houses there, who work with joy, and indulge in stormy fun in the evenings and on weekends. It is for the sake of such a future that we need to work fruitfully, steadfastly endure all the difficulties and problems of today.

Soon Vera Pavlovna, in tandem with her associate Natalya Mertsalova, opens her own store on Nevsky Prospekt. Women dream that in a few years they will have many sewing workshops, maybe even more than ten. Several more years passed in this way without any special incident.

Chapter five. New faces and denouement

At the beginning of the chapter, the author tells in detail about Katerina Vasilyevna Polozova and her father, a retired captain, who wasted his estate and retired. On a well-deserved retirement, he decided to go into trade and soon succeeded well in this business, becoming a millionaire. Then, however, he went bankrupt again, but Polozov still had some savings for a comfortable life.

The paternal feelings of the former captain for his daughter are somewhat similar to those of Marya Alekseevna. Polozov is also not devoid of tyranny, and many of his actions are aimed only at obtaining his own benefit. He forbids his daughter to meet with the secular ladies' man Solovtsov, with whom Katerina Vasilievna is deeply in love.

On this basis, a serious conflict is taking place in the Polozov family, as a result of which Katerina Vasilievna had a nervous breakdown, and she was on the verge of death. Alexander Kirsanov helped the girl get out of this state, opened his eyes to a man who was not worthy of her love. At the same time, Kirsanov was able to convince Polozov that such methods cannot be used to raise an adult daughter, she must be given freedom of choice.

Meanwhile, life in the Kirsanov family goes on as usual. The work of sewing workshops brings not only a constant income, but also makes it possible to spend your free time in an interesting way. Many interesting people come to visit the Kirsanovs, among them, mainly, young students, like-minded people. They are all hardworking, live by strict rules, and are practical.

One day, among the guests of the Kirsanovs is Katerina Vasilievna Polozova (now Beaumont) with her husband Charles, an agent of an English firm. The spouse speaks excellent Russian, since he spent more than twenty years in Russia. The relationship between Charles and Catherine is based on mutual feelings, however, it is quite rational, without unnecessary worries and passions.

It soon turns out that Charles Beaumont is the ex-husband of Vera Pavlovna Dmitry Sergeevich Lopukhov. On Liteiny Bridge, he only faked suicide, so as not to interfere with the love of Vera and Kirsanov. Then Lopukhov went to America, where he became an entrepreneur and earned substantial capital.

Both families experience great joy in communication and spiritual closeness. They live in the same house, often receive guests, organize holidays and picnics.

At one of these events, a lady appears in mourning. A strange woman is in the center of attention of the guests, she talks a lot, pours jokes, sings and tells the story of her love.

Chapter six. Change of scenery

The last chapter of the novel is very short and shrouded in an aura of mystery. Two years have passed since the picnic. We see the mysterious lady again, only now not in black, but in a bright pink dress and with a beautiful bouquet. She goes to the "Passage" accompanied by acquaintances of young men and a man of about thirty.

Critics rate this image differently. There are two main versions.

1. A lady in mourning, and then in a pink dress - the image of the revolution from the dreams of Vera Pavlovna. A woman is transformed when her time comes.
2. The mysterious lady is Olga Chernyshevsky's wife. When her husband was imprisoned, she wore black clothes, and when he was released, she put on a bright holiday dress.

The end of the fifth chapter and the sixth are written in a special style, with hints and omissions. The author most likely could not speak openly about the impending revolutionary sentiments. Perhaps he did not do this on purpose in order to make the reader think and decide on their own.

The novel begins on July 11, 1856. In the room of one of the hotels in St. Petersburg, they find a message in which it is written that the author will soon become the cause of conversations on the Liteiny Bridge and that there is no need to look for those responsible for this event. Soon it really becomes known that at night a man shot himself on the Liteiny Bridge. His hat with a bullet trace was fished out of the water.

At this time, Vera Pavlovna was sewing in a house on Kamenny Island. The servant enters and gives her a letter, after reading which Vera Pavlovna begins to sob, pushing away from herself the young man who entered her room with the words that it is he who is to blame for everything.

The story goes on to tell the story that led to this outcome. Vera Pavlovna grew up in St. Petersburg. Her father ran a multi-storey building, and her mother gave money at interest. The main concern of the mother was to give Vera a profitable marriage, and for this Marya Alekseevna spared no money. Soon the son of the owners of the house, the Storeshniks, drew attention to Vera. The mother, having learned about this, told Vera to be kind to him, but Vera understands that Streshnikov's true goal is not at all to marry her. Dmitry Sergeevich Lopukhov is helping Vera out of this situation, a medical student invited as a teacher for Vera's brother Fedya. First, he tries to find a place for Vera as a governess, and when he fails, he quits his studies, takes up private lessons and translates textbooks and marries Vera. Vera is dreaming the first of a series of dreams. In this dream, she is talking to a beauty who is nothing more than love for people. Vera seems to have been released from a dark basement, and she promises that now she herself will do everything to let other girls out of the basements.

Lopukhov and Vera settle in a rented apartment, the owner of which, looking at their relationship, is very surprised - the young people sleep in different rooms, always knock and wait for an answer before entering their spouse, and never go out into the common room naked. Vera explains to her that this is the real family life of spouses who want to feel love for each other as long as possible.

Vera Pavlovna not only runs the household and gives private lessons - she also decides to do her own business. Vera organizes a sewing workshop, taking girls as her assistants, who, like her, receive a percentage of the workshop's income. And after a short time, she sees another dream - a field on which ears are growing. There is real dirt on the field, this is a concern for what a person needs, ears grow from this dirt, and fantastic dirt - care for an empty, unnecessary matter, and nothing grows out of this dirt.

Alexander Matveyevich Kirsanov, a friend of Dmitry, often comes to the Lopukhovs' house. He spends a lot of time with Vera, and then suddenly suddenly disappears and returns again only when Dmitry falls ill. The reason for this disappearance is love for Vera. Vera also feels that she loves Kirsanov. This is confirmed by her next dream, in which she reads a diary, which says that she does not love her husband, and only feels grateful to him. Dmitry finds a way out of this situation - he goes to Liteiny Bridge, and a shot is fired there.

Rakhmetov, one of Kirsanov's friends, "a special person" comes to Vera. Once Rakhmetov was rich, but he sold the estate and distributed all the money. Now he leads an extremely ascetic lifestyle. Rakhmetov gives Vera a letter from Lopukhov. She reads the letter and calms down, a smile on her face. After that, she becomes Kirsanov's wife. The letter received says that Vera and Dmitry are very different people. The letter was written by a medical student who introduced himself as a friend of Lopukhov and reported that after parting with Vera, Lopukhov feels great.

The way of life of the Kirsanov family is no different from the way Vera got used to living with Lopukhov. But she feels that Kirsanov not only loves her, but is always ready to listen and help. She has another dream in which she sees pictures from the life of women at different times. In this dream, the beauty from the first dream reappears, explaining to Vera what equality of the sexes and freedom of women are.

Soon, the Beaumont family appears among the people visiting the Kirsanovs' house. Having met with Charles Beaumont, Kirsanov realizes that this is Lopukhov. Soon the Beaumont and Kirsanovs decide to live in the same house and run the household together.

Nikolay Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky

What to do?

From stories of new people

FROM THE EDITOR

The novel by N. G. Chernyshevsky "What is to be done?" was written within the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress in December 1862-April 1863. Soon published in Sovremennik, it played a colossal, incomparable role not only in fiction, but also in the history of Russian socio-political struggle. No wonder thirty-eight years later V.I.Lenin also titled his work, dedicated to the foundations of the new ideology.

Published in a hurry, with an incessant eye for censorship, which could prohibit the publication of successive chapters, the journal text contained a number of negligence, misprints and other defects - some of which have remained uncorrected to this day.

The issues of Sovremennik for 1863, containing the text of the novel, were strictly withdrawn, and the Russian reader for more than forty years had to use either five foreign reprints (1867-1898), or illegal handwritten copies.

Only the 1905 revolution lifted the censorship ban on the novel, which was rightfully called the "textbook of life." Until 1917, four editions were published, prepared by the writer's son, MN Chernyshevsky.

After the Great October Socialist Revolution and until 1975, the novel was reprinted in Russian at least 65 times, with a total circulation of more than six million copies.

In 1929, the publishing house Political Prisoners published a rough, half-encrypted text of the novel, which had been discovered in the Tsar's archives shortly before; his reading is the result of the heroic work of NA Alekseev (1873-1972). ([Obituary]. - True, 1972, May 18, p. 2.) However, from the point of view of the requirements of modern textual criticism, this edition in no way can satisfy us today. Suffice it to say that variations and crossed out passages are not reproduced in it. There are many inaccuracies in the publication "What is to be done?" as part of the 16-volume "Complete Works" by Chernyshevsky (v. XI, 1939. Goslitizdat, prepared by N. A. Alekseev and A. P. Skaftmov): in comparison with him, this book contains more than a hundred corrections.

Strange as it may seem, but until now there has not been a scientific publication of the novel. Its text has never been fully commented on: some places that were understandable to contemporaries, but dark for us, remained undisclosed or misinterpreted.

This edition for the first time gives a scientifically verified text of the novel and fully reproduces the draft autograph. The supplement contains a note by Chernyshevsky to A.N. Pypin and N.A. The appendix contains articles on the problems of studying the novel, and the notes necessary for its correct understanding.

Sincere gratitude to the granddaughter of the great revolutionary and writer, N.M. Chernyshevskaya for a number of advice and constant friendly help and M.I. Perper for important textual instructions.

The main text of the novel, a note for A. N. Pypin and N. A. Nekrasov, the article "Problems of Studying the Novel" What Is to Be Done? "And notes were prepared by S. A. Reiser; the article "Chernyshevsky the Artist" - G. Ye. Tamarchenko; draft text - T. I. Ornatskaya; bibliography of translations into foreign languages ​​- BL Kandel. The general edition of the publication was carried out by S.A. Reiser.

"What to do?"

From stories of new people

(Dedicated to my friend O.S.Ch.)

On the morning of July 11, 1856, the servants of one of the large St. Petersburg hotels at the Moscow railway station were at a loss, partly even in alarm. On the eve, at 9 o'clock in the evening, the gentleman arrived with a suitcase, took the number, gave his passport for registration, asked for tea and a cutlet, said not to be disturbed in the evening, because he was tired and wanted to sleep, but that tomorrow they would certainly wake up at 8 o'clock, because he had urgent business, he locked the door of the room and, making noise with a knife and a fork, rustling with a tea-set, soon became quiet — apparently fell asleep. Morning has come; at 8 o'clock the servant knocked on the yesterday's visitor - the visitor does not give a voice; the servant knocked harder, very hard - the newcomer still does not respond. He was obviously very tired. The servant waited a quarter of an hour, again began to wake him up, again did not wake him up. Began to consult with other servants, with a barman. "Has something happened to him?" - "We need to break down the doors." - "No, that won't do: you have to break the door with the police." We decided to try to wake up again, harder; if he doesn't wake up here, send for the police. We made the last try; did not get it; sent for the police and are now waiting to be seen with her.

At about 10 o'clock in the morning a police official came, knocked himself, ordered the servants to knock - the same success as before. "Nothing to do, break down the door, guys."

The door was broken down. The room is empty. "Look under the bed" - and there is no traveler under the bed. The police officer went up to the table - there was a sheet of paper on the table, and on it was written in large letters:

"I leave at 11 o'clock in the evening and will not return. They will hear me on the Liteiny Bridge, between 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning. I have no suspicions of anyone."

So this is it, the thing is now understandable, otherwise they could not figure it out, ”said the police official.

What is it, Ivan Afanasevich? the barman asked.

Let's have some tea, I'll tell you.

The story of a police official has long served as the subject of animated retelling and discourse in the hotel. The story was like this.

At half past three in the morning - and the night was cloudy, dark - fire flashed in the middle of the Liteiny Bridge, and a pistol shot was heard. Sentinels rushed to the shot, few passers-by came running - no one and nothing was in the place where the shot rang out. This means that he did not shoot, but shot himself. There were hunters to dive, after a few time they brought the hooks, even brought some kind of fishing net, dived, groped, caught, caught fifty large chips, but they did not find the body and did not catch it. And how to find it? - the night is dark. It is already at the seaside at these two o'clock - go and look there. Therefore, progressives arose who rejected the previous assumption: "Or maybe there was no body? Maybe a drunk, or just a mischievous man, fooled around, fired, and ran away," otherwise, perhaps, he is right there in the bustling crowd, yes laughs at the anxiety he has done. "

But the majority, as always, when reasoning reasonably, turned out to be conservative and defended the old: "what a fool - I put a bullet in my forehead, and that's it." The progressives were defeated. But the victorious party, as always, was divided immediately after the meal. Shot himself, so; but why? “Drunk,” was the opinion of some conservatives; "squandered," other conservatives argued. “Just a fool,” someone said. On this "just a fool" everyone agreed, even those who rejected that he had shot himself. Indeed, whether a drunken man, whether he missed a shot, or a mischievous person, did not shoot himself at all, but only threw a trick - it’s all the same, stupid, stupid thing.

This was the end of the night on the bridge. In the morning, in a hotel near the Moscow railway, it was discovered that the fool had not been fooled, but had shot himself. But as a result of history, there remained an element with which the defeated also agreed, namely, that if he did not play pranks, but shot himself, then he was still a fool. This result, which was satisfactory for everyone, was especially lasting precisely because the Conservatives triumphed: in fact, if he had only played a mischievous shot on the bridge, then, in fact, it was still doubtful whether he was a fool or only a mischievous person. But he shot himself on the bridge - who is shooting on the bridge? how is it on the bridge? why on the bridge? stupid on the bridge! and therefore, undoubtedly, a fool.

Again some doubts appeared: he shot himself on the bridge; on the bridge they do not shoot, - therefore, did not shoot himself. - But in the evening the hotel servant was summoned to the unit to look at the shot-through cap pulled out of the water, - everyone admitted that the cap was the one that was on the road. So, undoubtedly, he shot himself, and the spirit of denial and progress was finally defeated.

1863, "Contemporary"

1867 (Geneva), 1906 (Russia)

"What to do?"- a novel by the 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 in part in response to Ivan Turgenev's novel Fathers and Sons.

History of creation and publication

Chernyshevsky wrote the novel while in the solitary cell of 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 commission of inquiry on the Chernyshevsky case (the last part was submitted on April 6). The commission, and after it the censors, saw only a love line in the novel and gave permission to print. The oversight of the censorship was soon noticed, and the responsible censor, Beketov, was removed from office. However, the novel had already been published in the journal 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 spread throughout the country and caused a lot of imitations.

“They talked about Chernyshevsky’s novel not in a whisper, not quietly, but at full throat in the halls, at the entrances, at Mrs. Milbret’s table and in the basement brewery of Steenbok’s passage. They shouted: 'disgusting', 'lovely', 'abomination', etc. - all in different tones. "

"For the 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 clearly entertaining, adventurous, melodramatic beginning of the novel was supposed not only to confuse the censorship, but also to attract a wide audience of readers. The external plot of the novel is a love story, but it reflects new economic, philosophical and social ideas of the time. The novel is permeated with hints of the coming revolution.

• In the novel by N. G. Chernyshevsky "What is to be done?" 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 century) aluminum has already reached.
• The “Lady in Mourning” appearing 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 release of Chernyshevsky from the Peter and Paul Fortress, where he was at the time of writing the novel. He did not wait for release: on February 7, 1864, he was sentenced to 14 years in hard labor, followed by settlement in Siberia.
• The main characters with the surname Kirsanov are also found in the novel by Ivan Turgenev "Fathers and Sons".

Literature

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

Screen adaptations

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

Notes (edit)

see also

Links

Categories:

• Literary works alphabetically
• Nikolay Chernyshevsky
• Political novels
• Novels of 1863
• Novels in Russian

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See what is "What to do? (Novel)" in other dictionaries:

- "What to do?" philosophical question of various thinkers, religious figures, prophets, as well as literary works with this title: "What to do?" novel by Nikolai Chernyshevsky, his main work. "What to do?" book ... ... Wikipedia

The name of the famous socio-political novel (1863) by Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky (1828 1889). The main question, which in the 60 70s. XIX century. was discussed in youth circles, there was, as the revolutionary P. N. Tkachev writes, “the question of ... Dictionary of winged words and expressions

Date of birth: June 16, 1965 Place of birth: Makeevka, Ukrainian SSR, USSR ... Wikipedia

"What to do?"- a novel by the Russian philosopher, journalist and literary critic Nikolai Chernyshevsky, written in December 1862 - April 1863, while imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg. The novel was written in part in response to Ivan Turgenev's novel Fathers and Sons.

History of creation and publication

Chernyshevsky wrote the novel while in the solitary cell of 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 commission of inquiry on the Chernyshevsky case (the last part was submitted on April 6). The commission, and after it the censors, saw only a love line in the novel and gave permission to print. The oversight of the censorship was soon noticed, and the responsible censor, Beketov, was removed from office. However, the novel had already been published in the journal 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 spread throughout the country and caused a lot of imitations.

“They talked about Chernyshevsky’s novel not in a whisper, not quietly, but at full throat in the halls, at the entrances, at Mrs. Milbret’s table and in the basement brewery of Steenbok’s passage. They shouted: 'disgusting', 'lovely', 'abomination', etc. - all in different tones. "

P.A.Kropotkin:

"For the 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."

In 1867, the novel was published as a separate book in Geneva (in Russian) by Russian emigrants, then it was translated into Polish, Serbian, Hungarian, French, English, German, Italian, Swedish, and Dutch.

The ban on the publication of the novel "What is to be done?" was filmed only in 1905. In 1906, the novel was first published in Russia as a separate edition.

Plot

The central character of the novel is Vera Pavlovna Rozalskaya. To avoid marriage imposed by a mercenary mother, the girl enters into a fictitious marriage with medical student Dmitry Lopukhov (teacher of Fedya's younger brother). Marriage allows her to leave her parental home and take control of her life on her own. Vera studies, tries to find her place in life, and finally opens a “new type” sewing workshop - this is a commune where there are no hired workers and owners, and all girls are equally interested in the well-being of the joint venture.

The family life of the Lopukhovs is also unusual for its time, its main principles are mutual respect, equality and personal freedom. Gradually, a real feeling based on trust and affection arises between Vera and Dmitry. However, it happens that Vera Pavlovna falls in love with her husband's best friend, doctor Alexander Kirsanov, with whom she has much more in common than her husband. This love is mutual. Vera and Kirsanov begin to avoid each other, hoping to hide their feelings, primarily from each other. However, Lopukhov guesses everything and forces them to confess.

To give his wife freedom, Lopukhov fakes a suicide (the novel begins with an episode of an alleged suicide), he himself leaves for America to study industrial production in practice. After a while, Lopukhov, under the name of Charles Beaumont, returns to Russia. He is an agent of an English firm and came on its behalf to purchase a stearin factory from the industrialist Polozov. Delving into the affairs of the plant, Lopukhov visits Polozov's house, where he meets his daughter Ekaterina. Young people fall in love with each other and soon get married, after which Lopukhov-Beumont announces his return to Kirsanov. A close friendship is struck between families, they settle in the same house and a community of “new people” is growing around them - those who wish to arrange their own and social life “in a new way”.

One of the most significant heroes of the novel is the revolutionary Rakhmetov, a friend of Kirsanov and Lopukhov, whom they once introduced to the teachings of the utopian socialists. Rakhmetov is devoted to a short digression in Chapter 29 ("A Special Man"). This is the hero of the second plan, only episodically connected with the main storyline of the novel (he brings Vera Pavlovna a letter from Dmitry Lopukhov with an explanation of the circumstances of his alleged suicide). However, in the ideological outline of the novel, Rakhmetov plays a special role. What it consists of, Chernyshevsky explains in detail in the XXXI part of chapter 3 ("Conversation with the discerning reader and his expulsion"):

Artistic identity

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

L. Yu. Brik recalled Mayakovsky: “One of the books closest to him was“ What is to be done? ”By Chernyshevsky. He constantly returned to her. The life described in it echoed ours. Mayakovsky, as it were, consulted with Chernyshevsky about his personal affairs, found support in him. "What to do?" Was the last book he read before he died. "

• In the novel by N. G. Chernyshevsky "What is to be done?" 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 century) aluminum has already reached.
• The “Lady in Mourning” appearing 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 release of Chernyshevsky from the Peter and Paul Fortress, where he was at the time of writing the novel. He did not wait for release: on February 7, 1864, he was sentenced to 14 years in hard labor, followed by settlement in Siberia.
• The main characters with the surname Kirsanov are also found in the novel by Ivan Turgenev "Fathers and Sons".

Screen adaptations

• "What to do? "- a three-part television play (directors: Nadezhda Marusalova, Pavel Reznikov), 1971.