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Herzen, "Past and Thoughts": a summary of the chapters. "Past and Thoughts": Characters

Alexander Ivanovich's book "Past and Thoughts," a brief summary of which we will consider, was published in 1868. It begins with the stories of the author's nurse about how the Herzen family wandered around Moscow, occupied by the French in 1812. Alexander himself was then a little boy. The work ends with the events of 1865-1868, Herzen's impressions of her journey through Europe.

Actually, can not be called memories in the full sense of the word "Past and Thoughts". The brief content of the work does not give a complete idea of the structure of the narrative, therefore we first note that only in the first five parts (there are 8 in all) do we find a consistent account of the events. Further, after the author's move to London in 1852, a number of journalistic articles, sketches, though arranged in chronological order, follow. It must be said that some chapters of the work were first published as independent things ("Robert Owen", "Western Arabesque"). Herzen compared his creation with a constantly extending house with a set of outbuildings, superstructures and extensions.

First part

"Children's and University" - the so-called first part of the work "Past and Thoughts". The summary is the following. It is told about the time from 1812 to 1834. In the first part of the work, Herzen's life in his father's house is described mainly. It was a clever hypochondriac. He seems to his son (as, indeed, his uncle, and his father's youth) is a typical 18th-century birth.

The events that took place on December 14, 1825, had a great effect on the imagination of the child. Herzen in 1827 became acquainted with N. Ogarev, his distant relative. This is the future poet, with whom Herzen will continue to lead the Russian printing house in London. Both boys are fond of Schiller. They look upon their friendship as an alliance of two political conspirators. Once on the Sparrow Hills, they swear to sacrifice their lives for freedom.

Herzen continues to preach radical views on politics and grew up when he becomes a student at the Moscow University (Physics and Mathematics Department).

Let us note that the author of the work "The Past and the Thoughts" also tells about the events after the death of Alexander I. The summary (part 1, chapter 3) can not dwell on this in detail. However, we note that, as the author writes, political persecution in the reign of Alexander was rare. However, Nicholas, who succeeded him, was hated for petty pedantry, cold cruelty, rancor. Arrests began. The wives of those who were exiled to penal servitude were deprived of their civil rights. They had to throw all their wealth and go to Eastern Siberia, under the supervision of the local police. All this is noted by Herzen in the work "Past and Thoughts". The summary (part 1, chapter 3 was just presented) continues with the events of the second part.

The second part

It is called "Prison and Reference", it describes the years from 1834 to 1838. Ogarev (his photo is presented below), Herzen and other members of the university circle are accused of insulting His Majesty. On a fabricated case, they are arrested and exiled.

Life in prison is described in detail by the author of the work "Past and Thoughts". The summary (chapter 3 of this part gives an idea of the prison life) is continued by the fact that Herzen serves in Vyatka, in the chancellery of the local provincial government. In his charge is the statistical department. In the chapters of the work a lot of sad-anecdotic cases on the management of the province were collected. In the same part, AL Vitberg is described. Herzen became acquainted with him in exile. Herzen was transferred to Vladimir in 1838. In this city there are further events of the work, to which this brief content is devoted. "Past and thoughts", part 1 and part 2 of which we have already described, continues with the events of 1838-39. At this time Herzen's acquaintance with her lover took place. The following part is devoted to the development of relations with it.

The third part

"Vladimir-on-Klyazma" - this is the title of the third part of the work "Past and Thoughts". A brief summary of her acquaints us with the author's love story with Zakharina Natalia Alexandrovna, who was an illegitimate daughter of his uncle and was brought up from an angry and half-mad aunt. But not only Herzen introduces us to it. For example, to the events of 1834 the chapter "In Moscow without Me" is sent by the work "Past and Thoughts" (Chapter 4). We will not give a brief summary of it, since this time has already been told in the second part. We now turn to the description of the author's relations with Zakharina Natalia Alexandrovna.

Agreements on marriage from relatives are not received by lovers from the work "Past and Thoughts". The summary (chapter 3 of this part is called "Separation") ends with the departure from Vyatka. Herzen (his portrait is presented above) in 1838 comes to Moscow, although he is not allowed to enter. He takes away his bride and is crowned with her in secret. This concludes the third part of Herzen ("Past and Thoughts"). The following is a summary of the following events.

Fourth part

The period from 1840 to 1847 is described in the part "Moscow, Petersburg and Novgorod". It tells about the intellectual atmosphere of Moscow at that time. Ogarev and Herzen, who returned from exile, are close to the Hegelians-the circle of Stankevich. Bakunin and Belinsky become their friends. Herzen in the chapter "Not ours" (about Chaadaev, K. Aksakov, Kireevsky, Khomyakov) says that in the 40s the Slavophiles and Westerners were drawing closer . He further explains why it is impossible to confuse Slavophilism with official nationalism. Herzen also discusses socialism and the Russian community.

For ideological reasons, in 1846, Herzen and Ogarev moved away from many, primarily from Granovsky. There is a personal quarrel between the author and Granovsky, because one did not recognize, and the other recognized the immortality of the soul. After that, Herzen decides to leave the country. "Past and Thoughts", the brief content of which we describe, is a large work in volume. Therefore, we can only talk about it in general terms.

Fifth part

It describes the years from 1847 to 1852. The author speaks about the first years he spent in Europe. Herzen talks about the first day in the French capital, about the impressions from Paris. He discusses the "Young Italy", the Roman national liberation movement, the revolution in France in February 1848, and others.

Describing the summary of the story "Past and Thoughts", we note that the consistent presentation of events is already interrupted in this part by articles and essays by Herzen. The author says in an interlude entitled "Western arabesques" about the death of Western civilization, so expensive for a Russian liberal or socialist. Europe is wiped out by philistinism, which has taken possession of everything, with a cult of material prosperity. This theme can be called the leitmotif of the whole work. Herzen sees the only way out in building a social state.

The author in the chapters on Proudhon talks about the impressions of acquaintance with him, notes the unexpected softness of this person in communication. He also speaks of Proudhon's book "On Justice in the Church and in the Revolution." The author of this work can not agree with Herzen, because he sacrifices the human person to the just state. With such models of the state, Herzen constantly argues, bringing such revolutionaries closer to Arakcheyev (for example, in the sixth part, in the chapter "Robert Owen").

Do not like Herzen and the attitude to the woman Proudhon - proprietary. He believes that the author of the book judges such painful and complex things as jealousy and treason, too primitive.

The drama in the life of Herzen

The fifth part comes to the end with the history of the Herzen family, the last years of Natalia Alexandrovna's life. The accession of Napoleon III, and then the severe illness of her daughter, had a strong effect on this woman, who is marked by a propensity for depression. She enters into a close relationship with the famous German socialist and poet Herwegh. This person was at that time the closest friend of Herzen. The woman was touched by Herwegh's complaints of loneliness, the fact that no one understands him. Natalia continues to love her husband. She is tormented by the situation and, finally realizing the necessity of choice, the woman is explained with Herzen. He is ready to divorce, if Natalia Alexandrovna wants it. However, she breaks off with Herwegh and stays with her husband.

Herzen is spent after reconciliation for some time in Italy. In the shipwreck in 1851 the author's mother died, as well as his little son Kolya. Herwegh does not want to accept defeat. He follows up with seven complaints, threatens to kill the Herzen or commit suicide. In the end, he notifies common acquaintances about what happened. Friends stand up for Herzen. Then there are unpleasant scenes with assault, reminding old debts, publications in periodicals. Natalia Alexandrovna can not bear all this. After another birth, probably from consumption, she dies in 1852.

The fifth part is completed with essays on Russian emigrants, presented in the section "Russian shadows". At that time, Herzen communicated with them. His university friend NI Sazonov, wandering around Europe, is a type of Russian man who in vain killed in himself the "abyss of forces", which was not in demand in his native country. Remembering about peers, the author here demands "justice" and "recognition" for these people who sacrificed because of their beliefs to all that traditional life could offer them. For Herzen, AV Engelson is a representative of the generation of Petrashevists with a "painful breaking" characteristic of him, "immeasurable vanity", which he developed under the influence of "small" and "cheesy" people who made up the majority at the time.

Sixth part

It is called "England", it describes the years from 1852 to 1864. Herzen after the death of his wife moved to England. Herwegh made his family drama public, and the author needed the court of European democracy to recognize his rightness. However, Herzen found calming not in this court, but in work. He began to write "The Past and Thoughts", and also began to organize the Russian printing house.

Herzen (his portrait is presented above) notes that the loneliness of London's life had a beneficial effect on him. England of that time was filled with emigrants, which are mainly spoken of in the sixth part. It was a motley audience: from the leaders of the national liberation and socialist movement of Europe, with whom the author was familiar, to spies and criminals who, under the guise of political exiles, beg for benefits.

Herzen, convinced that the national character exists, devotes some essays on the emigration of different nationalities ("Germans in Emigration", "Polish Natives", etc.). In the chapter "The Germans in Emigration", in particular, the evaluation of Marx and his supporters - the "sulfur gang" is given. The author considers these people dishonorable, for the sake of destroying his political rivals ready for anything. Herzen is curious to observe how national characters manifest themselves in a clash with each other. For example, the chapter "Two Processes" gives a humorous description of the consideration in the English court of the case of French duelists.

Seventh part

This part of the work is devoted to the Russian emigration. In particular, there are some essays on V. Pecherin and M. Bakunin, about the history of the "Bell" and the free Russian printing house. The author begins by describing how he was unexpectedly visited by a colonel. Apparently, it was an ignorant person and not at all liberal. However, he considered it his duty to come to Herzen as a superiors. In the first chapter, "Apogee and perigee," tells about the enormous influence and popularity of the "Bell" in Russia, which come after the Moscow fires. It is also said that the author dared to support the Poles in print in 1862, during their uprising.

Eighth part

The summary of the work "Past and Thoughts" goes on to describe the 8th part. It shows the period from 1865 to 1868. It has no name, no common theme. It is no accident that the first chapter of this part is called "Without Communication". Herzen describes the impressions that he made in various countries of Europe in the late 60s. Europe is still seen by the author as the realm of the dead. He speaks about this, in particular, in the chapter on Venice and about the "prophets" who are exposing the imperial France. The chapter "From the Other World" of the 6th part is dedicated to old people who were once famous and lucky people. Herzen believes that the only place in the whole of Europe, suitable for life, is Switzerland.

"Old letters"

"Old letters" complete the work "Past and Thoughts", a summary of which is described in this article. These are texts of letters to the author from Belinsky, N. Polevoy, Chaadaev, Granovsky, Carlyle, Proudhon. Herzen in the preface to them opposes their book. The past in the letters does not exert all of its strength, which can not be said about the book. Their light ease, random content, everyday concerns of letters bring us closer to the authors.

Of course, within the framework of one article it is impossible to describe in detail the work "Past and Thoughts". Very brief content is only suitable for first acquaintance with him. This work is worth studying, since it gives a visual representation of the era. "Past and Thoughts", the summary of which begins in 1812, and ends with memories in 1868, covers a time rich in historical events.

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