Chernyshevsky created his novel “What is to be done?” in the era of rise revolutionary movement in the Russian Federation. The hero of the novel Rakhmetov, like no one else, was suitable for revolutionary activities. Rakhmetov is distinguished by toughness, asceticism, iron will, and hatred of the people's oppressors. No wonder the leader of the Bolsheviks V.I. Lenin put this literary hero as an example to his comrades, saying that only with such people is it possible revolutionary coup in the Russian Federation.
What kind of special person is this, who even today attracts the sensitivity of those who crave social upheaval for the sake of the common good? Rakhmetov is a nobleman by origin. His father was a very rich man. But the free life did not keep Rakhmetov on his father’s estate. He left the province and entered the Faculty of Science in St. Petersburg.
Without difficulty, Rakhmetov became close to progressive-minded people in the capital. Chance brought him together with Kirsanov, from whom he learned a lot of new and politically advanced things. He began to read books voraciously. One gets the feeling that he measured out a time period for himself and stuck to it exactly. After just six months, Rakhmetov put the books aside and said: “Now reading has become a secondary matter for me; in this regard, I am ready for life.” In these words of the hero one can discern something beyond the scope of a normally developing person.
Rakhmetov began to accustom his physical essence to obey his spiritual one, that is, he began to order himself and carry out these orders accurately and on time. Then he began to harden the body. He took on the hardest work. Moreover, he was a barge hauler.
He did all this in preparation for great revolutionary deeds. He brilliantly managed to create himself as a physically powerful and spiritually strong person. Rakhmetov fanatically followed the path he had chosen once and for all. He ate only what ordinary people ate, although he had the opportunity to eat better. He explained it simply: “It’s necessary - it gives respect and love from ordinary people. It’s useful, it can come in handy.” Apparently, in order to emphasize his extreme revolutionary spirit, Chernyshevsky forced his hero to abandon personal human happiness for the sake of the ideals of the revolutionary struggle. Rakhmetov refused to marry a rich young widow. He explained it this way: “I must suppress love in myself; love for you would tie my hands, they will not soon be untangled for me - they are already tied.”
A democratic writer, Chernyshevsky, in the image of Rakhmetov, portrayed a revolutionary leader, a special person. The author wrote about such people: “This is the color the best people, these are the engines of the engines, they are the salt of the earth.”
But the time has come to show the inconsistency of Bolshevik ideas. And now it’s clear to me why the leaders of the October Revolution chose Rakhmetov as their ideal. They developed those Rakhmetov-like qualities with which it was convenient for them to carry out cruel deeds: they did not spare themselves, much less others, they carried out orders with the chilling, thoughtless clarity of an iron engine, they treated dissenters as supermen treat subhumans. As a result, Russia was drenched in blood, and the world was shocked by the brutality of revolutionary actions.
Our society is still on the way to a civilized future. And personally, I dream that in this future of ours there will be fewer “special” people, and more ordinary people: kind, smiling, living their own lives. I want this future to become reality.
“SPECIAL PERSON” IN THE NOVEL. Images goodies novel "What to do?" Chernyshevsky tried to answer the burning question of the 60s XIX century in Russia: what to do in order to free the country from state-serfdom oppression? We need a revolution with the participation of the people themselves, which will be led by such proven leaders as one of the main characters of the book, Rakhmetov.
Rakhmetov was a hereditary nobleman by origin, the formation of his views on life and rebirth of which began in his early youth, and meeting with “new people” only contributed to the final approval of his revolutionary worldview. Rakhmetov breaks with his class and completely connects his fate with the fate of the people. In order to test himself and more acutely feel the deplorable situation of the masses, to better understand the thoughts and aspirations of the working people, Rakhmetov, in the same strap with the barge haulers, goes all the way along the Volga.
IN author's description Rakhmetov brings to the fore the features characteristic of a revolutionary organizer. Rakhmetov, through an effort of will, suppresses in himself what interferes with his social activities. Personal aspirations and passions, Chernyshevsky believes, do not prevent ordinary revolutionaries from bringing benefits to society: people like Vera Pavlovna, Lopukhov, Kirsanov, who do not pretend to be revolutionary leaders. And Rakhmetov is one of them, but also something more. Chernyshevsky says: “The mass of good and honest people, and there are few of them... These are engines of engines. This is the salt of the earth."
Chernyshevsky, with deep hints, makes it clear to the reader that Rakhmetov is a special person, a leader, busy preparing for the revolution. The author talks about the actions of the hero, which characterize him as an organizer of the fight against the reactionary social system and serve as a means of promoting revolutionary ideas. Rakhmetov is constantly connected with people, especially young people: “... Rakhmetov appeared, and a whole gang of young people gradually gathered behind him.”
Rakhmetov is demanding of those who join the ranks of revolutionaries. But if he is demanding of his comrades, then of himself he is merciless. He knows that he has a thorny challenge ahead of him, and therefore he consistently prepares himself for it morally and physically. Having slept the night on nails, Rakhmetov, smiling broadly and joyfully, explains his action: “A test. Need to". Strict regime Everyday life strengthened his will, gave him physical and moral strength, turned him into a hero - Nikitushka Lomov.
Rakhmetov is gentle and kind in his dealings with ordinary people and comrades who share his beliefs. Vera Pavlovna says about him: “I had a long conversation with the ferocious Rakhmetov. What a gentle and kind person he is!” But he is severely merciless and irreconcilable towards those who interfere with people’s happiness, trampling on their human dignity. Severity and intransigence are a sign of the times, characteristic feature revolutionary democrats.
Rakhmetov is a generalized image of a professional Russian revolutionary. It reflects the character traits of outstanding people of the 60s of the last century. Plekhanov, pointing to the generalizing significance of Rakhmetov’s image, said that “each of our outstanding socialists of the 60s and 70s had a considerable share of Rakhmetovism.” The image of Rakhmetov had a huge influence on subsequent generations of Russian revolutionaries.
Perhaps Chernyshevsky is wrong when he speaks of revolution as the only driving force. Don't know. History cannot be rewritten and cannot be changed. But he is right about one thing: a revolutionary must be “with clean hands and a warm heart.” Otherwise, how can one undertake the reconstruction of society?
Jan 26 2011
How actor Rakhmetov appears in the chapter “Special”. In other chapters his name is only mentioned. But one feels that he is placed in the center of the reader’s attention, that Rakhmetov is main character novel "What to do?" The chapter “A Special Person” forms, as it were, a small independent chapter in the novel, the idea of which would not be complete and understandable without it. When talking about Rakhmetov, Chernyshevsky deliberately shifts the temporal order of facts, and does not give a definitely consistent description and biography. He uses hints and innuendo, interweaving what was “known” about him with what was “found out” later. Therefore, every stroke of the biography is of fundamental importance. For example, origin. Indeed, why does the commoner Chernyshevsky make the main character of a socio-political novel a nobleman who goes back centuries? Perhaps, according to the writer, the image of a revolutionary nobleman made the idea of revolution more convincing and attractive. Since the best representatives of the nobility renounce their privileges to live at the expense of the people, it means that a crisis is ripe.
Rakhmetov's rebirth began in his early youth. His family was obviously a serf family. This is indicated by the terse phrase: “Yes, and he saw that it was in the village.” Observing the cruelty of serfdom, the young man began to think about justice. “Thoughts began to wander in him, and Kirsanov was for him what Lopukhov was for Vera Pavlovna.” On the very first evening, he “listened greedily” to Kirsanov, “interrupted his words with exclamations and curses on what should perish, blessings on what should live.”
Rakhmetov differs from Lopukhov and Kirsanov not only in his aristocratic pedigree, but also in his exceptional strength of character, which is manifested in the constant hardening of body and spirit, but especially in his absorption in the matter of preparing for the revolutionary struggle. This is a man of ideas in the highest sense of the word. For Rakhmetov, the dream of a revolution is a guide to action, a guideline for his entire personal life.
The desire for rapprochement with ordinary people is clearly manifested in Rakhmetov. This can be seen from his travels around Russia, his studies physical labor, severe self-restraint in personal life. The people nicknamed Rakhmetov Nikitushka Lomov, thereby expressing their love for him. Unlike the commoner Bazarov, who spoke condescendingly to the “thick-bearded” men, the nobleman Rakhmetov does not look at the people as a mass to be studied. For him, people are worthy of respect. He is trying to experience at least part of the weight that hangs on the peasant’s shoulders.
Chernyshevsky shows Rakhmetov as a person of a “very rare”, “special breed”, but at the same time as a typical person, belonging to a new social group, albeit a small one. endowed the “special person” with severe demands on himself and others and even a gloomy appearance. Vera Pavlovna at first finds him “very boring.” “Lopukhov and Kirsanov, and everyone who was not afraid of anyone or anything, felt at times a certain cowardice in front of him ... except for Masha and those who were equal to her or superior to her in the simplicity of their souls and dresses.” But Vera Pavlovna, having gotten to know Rakhmetov better, says about him: “...what a gentle and kind person he is.”
Rakhmetov is a rigorist, that is, a person who never deviates from the accepted rules of behavior in anything. He prepares himself for the revolutionary struggle both morally and physically. Having slept the night on nails, he explains his action, smiling broadly and joyfully: “Test. Need to. Implausible, of course: however, it’s necessary, just in case. I see I can." This is probably how Chernyshevsky saw the leader of the revolutionaries. To the question: “What should I do?” - Nikolai Gavrilovich responds with the image of Rakhmetov and the words placed in the epigraph. The figure of this rigorist had a huge influence on subsequent generations of Russian and foreign revolutionaries. This is evidenced by the confessions of these people that their “favorite was, in particular, Rakhmetov.”
A special person in Chernyshevsky’s novel What to do
The images of the positive heroes of the novel “What is to be done?” Chernyshevsky tried to answer the burning question of the 60s of the 19th century in Russia: what should be done in order to free the country from the state-serf oppression? We need a revolution with the participation of the people themselves, which will be led by such proven leaders as one of the main characters of the book, Rakhmetov.
Rakhmetov was a hereditary nobleman by origin, the formation of his views on life and rebirth of which began in his early youth, and meeting with “new people” only contributed to the final approval of his revolutionary worldview. Rakhmetov breaks with his class and completely connects his fate with the fate of the people. In order to test himself and more acutely feel the deplorable situation of the masses, to better understand the thoughts and aspirations of the working people, Rakhmetov, in the same strap with the barge haulers, goes all the way along the Volga.
In the author's description of Rakhmetov, the features characteristic of a revolutionary organizer are brought to the fore. Rakhmetov, through an effort of will, suppresses in himself what hinders him social activities. Personal aspirations and passions, Chernyshevsky believes, do not prevent ordinary revolutionaries from bringing benefits to society: people like Vera Pavlovna, Lopukhov, Kirsanov, who do not pretend to be revolutionary leaders. And Rakhmetov is one of them, but also something more. Chernyshevsky says: “There are a great mass of kind and honest people, but there are few of them... These are the engines of engines. This is the salt of the earth."
Chernyshevsky, with deep hints, makes it clear to the reader that Rakhmetov is a special person, a leader, busy preparing for the revolution. The author talks about the actions of the hero, which characterize him as an organizer of the fight against the reactionary social system and serve as a means of promoting revolutionary ideas. Rakhmetov is constantly connected with people, especially with young people: “... Rakhmetov appeared, and a whole gang of young people gradually gathered behind him.”
Rakhmetov is demanding of those who join the ranks of revolutionaries. But if he is demanding of his comrades, then of himself he is merciless. He knows what's coming to him thorny path, and therefore consistently prepares himself for it morally and physically. Having slept the night on nails, Rakhmetov, smiling broadly and joyfully, explains his action: “A test. Need to". The strict regime of everyday life strengthened his will, gave him physical and moral strength, and turned him into a hero - Nikitushka Lomov.
Rakhmetov is gentle and kind in his dealings with ordinary people and comrades who share his beliefs. Vera Pavlovna says about him: “I had a long conversation with the ferocious Rakhmetov. What a gentle and kind person he is!” But he is severely merciless and irreconcilable towards those who interfere with people’s happiness, trampling on their human dignity. Severity and intransigence are a sign of the times, a characteristic feature of democratic revolutionaries.
Rakhmetov is a generalized image of a professional Russian revolutionary. It reflects the character traits of outstanding people of the 60s of the last century. Plekhanov, pointing to the generalizing significance of Rakhmetov’s image, said that “each of our outstanding socialists of the 60s and 70s had a considerable share of Rakhmetovism.” The image of Rakhmetov had a huge influence on subsequent generations of Russian revolutionaries.
Perhaps Chernyshevsky is wrong when he speaks of the revolution as the only driving force. Don't know. History cannot be rewritten or changed. But he is right about one thing: a revolutionary must be “with clean hands and a warm heart.” Otherwise, how can one undertake the reconstruction of society?
“A special person” Rakhmetov in the novel by N. G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?”
Sitting in the solitary confinement of the Alekseevsky ravelin of the Peter and Paul Fortress, in the intervals between interrogations and hunger strikes, N. G. Chernyshevsky wrote his programmatic work “What to do?” This novel had the effect of a bomb exploding in political life Russia and at the same time became a new word in Russian literature in form and content.
N. G. Chernyshevsky was the first in Russian literature to create the image of a practical revolutionary who prepared himself for a tough struggle against the autocratic serfdom system. At first glance, Rakhmetov (that’s the name of this hero) occupies very little space in the novel. Just in a dramatic moment, he gives the main character a letter from her supposedly dead husband and gives her a lecture on the topic of educating feelings. Immediately, in a few outlines, the author outlines the biography of the hero, mysteriously adding: “I know more about Rakhmetov than I say.” We understand - censorship. Regarding who was the prototype of this hero, consensus no, but, in my opinion, this is an image in which Chernyshevsky collected all the features that admired him different people, whom I met through my “antisocial” activities. The figure turned out to be significant.
The Rakhmetov surname has been known in Rus' for a very long time. By the nineteenth century she had amassed substantial fortunes. Consequently, Rakhmetov grew up in wealth, but could closely observe on his estate all the injustices perpetrated by his serf-owner father. He came to St. Petersburg as an “ordinary kind and honest young man” of sixteen years old and entered the Faculty of Natural Sciences. After meeting Kirsanov, Rakhmetov’s transformation into a “special person” began. God, of course, did not offend this young man with his talents. But his character was indefatigable. If you read smart and fair books, then without stopping for three days until you drop dead. If you develop physical strength, then you will become Nikita Lomov, if you train a barge, then you will sleep on nails and starve. If you learn about the people’s grief, then don’t forget about it for a minute, be a “gloomy monster.” If you fall in love, then all humanity is humiliated and insulted, leaving no room for personal life, “This is how it is necessary,” he said. to his comrades. In my opinion, this character trait is called “maximalism.” But friends called Rakhmetov “rigorist.” Translated from Latin, “rigorism” means excessively petty strictness in observing any principles. in observing the principles cannot be excessive. He admired his hero and said that among his many acquaintances there were only eight people of this type: “They are few, but with them everyone’s life blossoms; without them it would have stalled, gone sour; There are few of them, but they allow all people to breathe, without them people would suffocate. There are a great number of honest and good people, and there are few such people; but they are in it - theine in tea, the bouquet in noble wine; from them its strength and aroma; it is the color of the best people, it is the engine of engines, it is the salt of the earth.”
I respect N.G. Chernyshevsky very much, but I cannot agree one hundred percent with his opinion about Rakhmetov. That is, Rakhmetov himself may have been as good as the author says. But his image carries very dangerous seeds. Firstly, I cannot trust a person who says about himself: “I shouldn’t love,” because I think it’s easier to love abstract humanity than the nasty neighbor from the second entrance. And if her harmful and irresponsible character becomes obstacle on the path to a new society, what will Rakhmetov’s follower do with it? If Kirsanov says: “I accept the rule: you should not do anything for him against the will of a person,” then Rakhmetov, without any delicacy, says to Vera Pavlovna: “You know that.” a conversation with me cannot be avoided if it seems to me that a conversation is needed.” He has already assumed the role of a judge who knows better than others what someone needs. Ruthlessness towards oneself often provides a false basis for mercilessness towards others.
Many people raised themselves on the image of Rakhmetov. Among them, of course, there were devotees and real heroes. But next to the “special person” a “superman” grows up. And from rigorism there is one step to terrorism. Therefore, I end my work with lines from Vladimir Mayakovsky that are worth thinking about:
In the mounds of books,
buried the verse,
string glands are accidentally discovered,
You
Sincerely
feel them
like old
but a formidable weapon.