N.G. Chernyshevsky, "What to do?": An analysis of the novel

Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky is a prominent figure in Russian literature. "What to do?" - a novel with which most people associate his name. However, the work of the great philosopher, critic and publicist was not limited to a single work.

Life and art

As noted above, the link "Chernyshevsky /" What should I do? "" Firmly sat in the head of students and students. Thanks to this work, the writer can rightly be considered the first Russian philosopher-utopian. By convictions, Chernyshevsky himself called himself a revolutionary democrat. He was born in Saratov, in the family of a poor priest. Primary education received at home under the guidance of his father. Then he entered the theological seminary, but soon realized that he did not feel called to such an activity and transferred to St. Petersburg University, where he began to study history, philosophy and philology. In 1850, a young scientist received his Ph.D. His further work was aimed at promoting revolutionary ideas. "St. Petersburg Vedomosti", "Otechestvennye zapiski", "Sovremennik" - with all these progressive publications, young Chernyshevsky actively collaborated. "What to do?" - a novel that will bring him fame - then existed only in the form of vague ideas and sketches.

Arrest

Today it is known for certain that since 1861 Nikolai Gavrilovich was under the vigilant supervision of the secret police. None of his contemporaries doubted that he was actively involved in drafting anti-government appeals and even was involved in the famous fires of 1862 in St. Petersburg. On June 12, the writer was arrested and placed in solitary confinement of the Peter and Paul Fortress. As an official charge, he was presented with the writing of proclamations to the "Bars peasants". The reason for the arrest was a letter sent from abroad by Herzen, in which Chernyshevsky was mentioned. "What to do?" - a novel that was completely written in the fortress.

Civil penalty, exile, death

On February 7, 1864, the writer was sentenced: seven years of hard labor, then a life-long settlement in Siberia. On May 19, a civil execution of Chernyshevsky was held on the Horse Square. Family members and numerous followers at various times filed petitions for pardon, but the return of the revolutionary to Saratov took place only in June 1889. In the autumn he passed away.

Chernyshevsky, "What to do": a summary of the work

The novel was written partly as a polemic with Turgenev's "Fathers and Children". According to Chernyshevsky himself, he set himself the goal of describing "ordinary decent people of the new generation". The central characters in the book are three: Vera Rosalskaya, Dmitry Lopukhov and Alexander Kirsanov. Verochka is the daughter of the manager. Greedy and vulgar mother intends to give the girl a favorable marriage, but the noble and proud beauty decides to take fate into her own hands and makes a fictitious marriage with medical student Lopukhov. Their family life is built on the principles of mutual respect, equality and freedom. Faith even opens a sewing workshop-the commune. However, their happiness does not last long - a young woman falls in love with her husband's best friend, Kirsanov. Noble Dmitry does not want to stand in their way and mock suicide (so that Vera can remarry again), after which she leaves for America, where she studies industrial production. A few years later he returns to Russia under a different name and marries Catherine Polozova, the daughter of a wealthy industrialist. Naturally, both families closely communicate, intending to build a "new" social life. So ends the novel "What to do?". N. Chernyshevsky until the end of his life remained faithful to those ideals that he declared in his main work.