Rakhmetov in Chernyshevsky’s novel, what to do. Rakhmetov is the “special” hero of the novel “What is to be done?” Chernyshevsky

RAKHMETOV

RAKHMETOV - central character works by N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do? From stories about new people" (1863).

R. differs from other heroes of the novel in the same way as Chernyshevsky’s novel itself differs from traditional psychological novels. In the magazine “Epoch”, published by M.M. and F.M. Dostoevsky, they wrote about R. as “some kind of armchair myth, traveling as easily through faculties as throughout Europe” (N. Soloviev). In the artistic hierarchy of the novel, he occupies the highest level, being the only representative of “special” people - in proportion to how in life the author, in his words, “has so far met only eight examples of this breed.” Some trait “already united them into one breed and separated them from all other people,” simply put - participation in underground revolutionary work. Without knowing Chernyshevsky’s “Aesopian language”, it is impossible to understand why R. led “the harshest lifestyle”, “was involved in other people’s affairs or no one’s affairs in particular”, in the “gathering points” of his friends “he only met people who had influence on others” , “I wasn’t at home much, I kept walking and driving around.”

A “special person” differs from “new people” in many ways. By origin, he is not a commoner, but a nobleman, “from a family known since the 13th century”; It is not circumstances, but only the strength of his convictions that forces him to go against his Environment. He remakes both his mental and physical nature, maintains “exorbitant strength within himself,” because “this gives respect and love from ordinary people.” He completely renounces personal benefits and intimate life, so that the struggle for complete enjoyment of life is a struggle “only according to principle, and not out of passion, out of conviction, and not out of personal need.” Hence R.’s nickname - “rigorist” (from the Latin “rigore” - cruelty, hardness), under which he first appears in section VI of the third chapter of the book. The rigorism of life follows from the rigorism of thought: “All the great theorists were people of extreme opinions,” Chernyshevsky wrote in the article “Count Cavour.” R. serves as a living embodiment of the theory of “calculation of mutual benefits,” realizing the potential inherent in “new people.” It is also important that the nearest literary predecessor R. is Bazarov from Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons”. While maintaining some stylistic continuity, Chernyshevsky at the same time showed that R. differs from Bazarov in having a positive point of application of his forces and has the opportunity to act among like-minded people.

R.'s image is built on a paradoxical combination of incompatible things. The extreme chronological specificity of his biography, which serves as a starting point for many other events in the book, is adjacent to significant event gaps; secondary character, he turns out to be “more important than all... taken together”; an extreme materialist in his views, he lives and fights only for an idea. However, this inconsistency results in stylistic diversity, characteristic of the menippea genre, to which the novel is close.

Despite all the visible extraneousness of R.’s image to the main plot of the book, he occupies a pivotal position in it, performing the functions of an intermediary: between the “open” (family) and “hidden” (political-revolutionary) parts of the plot, that is, between the worlds visible and invisible to the ordinary reader : between that world and this (when he gives Vera Pavlovna notes from Lopukhov, who “left for America”); between the past, present and future (when from an “ordinary kind and honest young man” RAKHMETOV, a nobleman, a man of the past, becomes a “special person” of the future and knows the onset of this future to within a year); between in different parts of this world (when traveling around Russia and abroad). The highest manifestation of R.'s messianic properties is the anticipation of his arrival on the eve of a “change of scenery.” The obvious mythological subtext of this image is associated with the structure of the novel, organized according to the principle of the “world tree”: R. and a few other “special people” descend from its upper, heavenly tier to the sinful earth to purify it. The hagiographical and legendary features of R.’s biography, referring to the “Life of Alexy, the Man of God,” to epics about heroes and to the newest legends about the barge hauler Nikitushka Lomov, to romantic images of supermen, in combination with everyday detail, are intended to emphasize his universality and absolute reality.

Among the prototypes of R., they are most often called P.A. Bakhmetev (according to Chernyshevsky himself), who studied with Chernyshevsky at the Saratov gymnasium and, after unfinished studies at the agricultural institute, went to Europe and then to Oceania to create a new social system there. The image of R., as befits any hagiographic image, gave rise to many imitations. He became the standard of a professional revolutionary, as D.I. Pisarev pointed out in his article “The Thinking Proletariat” (1865), calling R. a “historical figure”: “In the general movement of events, there are moments when people like Rakhmetov are necessary and irreplaceable ..."

Lit.: Pisarev D.I. Thinking proletariat

//Pisarev D.I. Essays. In three volumes. 1.1. L., 1982; Skaftymov A.P. Artistic works Chernyshevsky, written in the Peter and Paul Fortress

//Skaftymov A.P. Moral quests of Russian writers. M., 1972; Bakhtin M.M. Problems of Dostoevsky's poetics. M., 1972; Lebedev A.A. Reasonable egoists of Chernyshevsky. M., 1973; Ta-marchenko G.E. Chernyshevsky is a novelist. L., 1976; Naumova N.N. Roman N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?” L., 1978; Rudenko Yu.K. Novel by N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?”: Aesthetic originality and artistic method. L., 1979; Pinaev M.T. Roman N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?”: Commentary. Book for teachers. M., 1988; Paperno I. Semiotics of behavior: Nikolai Chernyshevsky - a man of the era of realism. M., 1996.

M.A. Dzyubenko

Literary heroes. - Academician. 2009 .

See what "RAKHMETOV" is in other dictionaries:

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When writing your novel “What to Do?” N.G. Chernyshevsky decided to introduce into it very interesting hero- Rakhmetova. His image can be called revolutionary, because this hero was thoroughly imbued with love for the world around him, he radiated goodness.

Reading the text of the novel, the reader understands that the main role is not given to the description of simple, ordinary family relations, but to glorify the image of a revolutionary man, “special” and unique. The author’s goal is to show the image of Rakhmetov not as the main person in the novel, but as the main person in life. Of course, it has been repeatedly noted that there are few such Rakhmetovs in society. However, their small number makes the world brighter and kinder.

This work by Chernyshevsky has no equal. No one before him had ever described the image of a revolutionary so vividly and accurately, or talked so heartfeltly about his exploits. In the final chapters, the author hints at the approach of a revolutionary coup. N. Chernyshevsky repeatedly called Rakhmetov funny. And, while under investigation, he called this image in other words, because he could not express himself openly. Therefore, Rakhmetov was called a “special” person, a superior person, a rigorist.

Chernyshevsky, while describing his hero, also mentioned his political side of life. Rakhmetov grew up under the influence of his tyrant father, who, in front of the young man’s eyes, offended his mother, his beloved girl and other serfs. All this prompted Rakhmetov to become closer to Kirsanov and to transform his personality. And such a pattern of transformations was not invented by the author, because many revolutionaries came from the noble strata of the population. The appearance of such “Rakhmetovs” suggests that the old society began to decompose at a fairly rapid pace. Decent and healthy people began to strive for the best.

Rakhmetov himself leads a strict lifestyle; he tries as much as possible to be like an ordinary, simple person who knows all life’s difficulties and hardships. The hero of the novel is busy with ploughing, becoming a carrier, barge hauler and carpenter. For such labor feats he is called by the popular nickname Nikitushka Lomova.

Chernyshevsky describes the hero as strong and resistant to life’s temptations. Rakhmetov renounces love and pleasure. His character is ebullient and passionate. He tests his willpower by spending the entire night on felt studded with nails, and passes the test.

At one time, Rakhmetov is stern and rude, and at another time, on the contrary, he is cheerful and delicate.

In this man, N. Chernyshevsky tries to convey the type of revolutionary that was just emerging among people, in society. Constant struggle, morality, devotion to the homeland and people - these are the main character traits of the new person.

“The Rakhmetovs are a different breed,” says Vera Pavlovna, “they merge with the common cause so that it is now a necessity for them, filling their lives; for them it even replaces their personal life.”

Novel by N. G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?” - a novel about new people, about their new life. This is an advanced, progressive-minded intelligentsia from commoners. These are people of action, and not of abstract dreams, they strive to win happiness for the people in the fight against existing unjust social foundations. They love work, are ardently devoted to science, their moral ideals high. These people build their relationships on mutual trust and respect. They do not hesitate in the struggle, they do not give in to difficulties. The heroes of the novel fight for the ideal of a bright future, for better life. Among them, the figure of a special person, Rakhmetov, stands out. Probably, wanting to more convincingly prove to his readers that Lopukhov, Kirsanov and Vera Pavlovna are really ordinary people, Chernyshevsky brings to the stage the titanic hero Rakhmetov, whom he himself recognizes as extraordinary and calls him a special person. Rakhmetov does not participate in the action of the novel. There are very few people like him: neither science nor family happiness satisfies them; they love all people, suffer from any injustice that occurs, experience great grief in their own souls - the miserable existence of millions of people and devote themselves to healing this illness with all their fervor.

Rakhmetov became in the novel a true example of a comprehensively developed person who broke with his class and found his ideal, his goal in the life of the common people, in the struggle for their happiness. Critics wrote: “Even in the early student years, the rigorism of a special person was formed, that is, habits were developed for stern, unyielding adherence to original principles in material, moral, and mental life.” The path of an ordinary, good, kind and honest young student began with reading books, with developing a new outlook on life. He went through the school of political education with the common student Kirsanov. Rakhmetov bought reading books recommended by Kirsanov from bookstores. After immersing himself in such reading, he became stronger in the thought of the need for the fastest possible improvement of material and moral life the most numerous and poorest class.

Rakhmetov studies and does something in his homeland, and not abroad. He learns from Russian people engaged in everyday work. He needs, first of all, to know how financially constrained their lives are compared to his. own life. From the age of seventeen he became familiar with the harsh lifestyle of the common people. Initially, he became a laborer for several hours a day: he carried water, carried firewood, dug the earth, and forged iron. Rakhmetov finally gained the respect and love of ordinary people during his three-year wanderings around Russia, after he passed the entire Volga as a barge hauler. His comrades affectionately dubbed him Nikitushka Lomov.

Rakhmetov, through his harsh lifestyle, cultivated the physical endurance and spiritual fortitude necessary for future trials. Confidence in the correctness of his political ideals, the joy of fighting for the happiness of the people strengthened the spirit and strength of a fighter in him. Rakhmetov understood that the struggle for new world it will be life or death, and therefore he prepared himself for it in advance. It seems to me that it does not require much effort or special imagination to understand general character Rakhmetov’s activities, he was constantly involved in other people’s affairs, he simply had no personal affairs, everyone knew that. Rakhmetov is involved in the affairs of other people, he seriously works for society. Rakhmetov generally had many distinctive features. For example, outside his circle, he only met people who had influence on others and had authority. And it was difficult to dismiss Rakhmetov if he decided to meet someone for the sake of business. And with unnecessary people he behaved simply rudely.

He performed unimaginable experiments on his body and scared to death his landlady, Agrafena Antonovna, who was renting out a room to him. He did not recognize love, suppressed this feeling in himself, did not want to allow love to tie him hand and foot. Rakhmetov abandoned love in the name of a great cause.

Yes, funny people, even funny... There are few of them, but with them the life of everyone around them blossoms; without them it would have stalled, gone sour; There are few of them, but they give all people the opportunity to breathe, without them people would suffocate.

There are a great number of honest and good people, but there are few such obsessed people; but they are in it - tea for tea, a bouquet in noble wine; from them its strength and aroma; this is the color of the best people, these are the engines of engines, this is the salt of the earth.

Central to the novel by N. G. Chernyshevsky “What is to be done?” is the image of Rakhmetov - a “special person”, “a superior nature”. His image merged the best features of the progressive people of Chernyshevsky’s era.

An aristocrat by birth, Rakhmetov becomes a democrat in his outlook on life and way of behavior. Rakhmetov is a professional revolutionary, revolutionary leader. This is a “knight without fear and reproach,” a man as if forged from pure steel. There are few people like him. “I have met,” notes Chernyshevsky, “so far only eight examples of this breed (including two women) ...”

Rakhmetov did not immediately become a “special person.” He came to St. Petersburg as an ordinary decent young man. The rapprochement with Kirsanov, who introduced Rakhmetov to the teachings of the utopian socialists and the philosophy of Feuerbach, was the impetus for his transformation into a “special person.” “He listened greedily to Kirsanov on the first evening, cried, interrupted his words with exclamations of curses on what should perish, blessings on what should lie.” Gifted with extraordinary abilities, Rakhmetov, having studied the theory of socialism, soon moves on to revolutionary actions, becomes a revolutionary, that is, a person of a “special breed.” “He brought down all of us here, taken together,” Kirsanov says about him with respect.

Rakhmetov expands his knowledge with amazing speed. At twenty-two years old, “he was already a man of very remarkably thorough learning.” Rakhmetov reads only “original” works, which, in his opinion, “there are very few major works on the subject; in all the rest they only repeat, become worn out, and spoil what is contained much more fully and clearly in these few works. You only need to read them; any other reading is just a waste of time."

Realizing that the strength of the leader lies in his closeness to the people, Rakhmetov closely studies the life of workers. He traveled all over Russia, was a woodcutter, a sawyer, a stone cutter, and pulled the burden together with barge haulers. For an ordinary person, he is one of his own, dear. No wonder the barge haulers nicknamed him Nikitushka Lomov in memory of the legendary Volga hero-barge hauler.

Rakhmetov, preparing himself for revolutionary activity, knows that he will have to endure hardships, torment, be molset, tortured by the tsarist jailers. And he strengthens his will and body in advance, accustoms himself to endure physical suffering, and renounces all luxury.

Rakhmetov is distinguished by his rare ability to work. “He managed to do an awful lot, because in managing his time he imposed on himself exactly the same curbing of whims as in material things. Not a quarter of an hour a month was wasted on him for entertainment; he did not need rest.” His activities are varied, and changing them is a rest for Rakhmetov.

Chernyshevsky, for obvious reasons, could not speak openly about Rakhmetov’s secret revolutionary work. He only gradually mentions that Rakhmetov “had an abyss of things to do... and all the matters that did not concern him personally; he had no personal affairs, everyone knew that... He was rarely at home, he kept walking and driving around , walked more. But he... had people... often he was not at home for several days. Then one of his friends sat with him and received visitors, devoted to him in soul and body and silent as a grave." Rakhmetov, knowing that the revolution needs devotees and knowledgeable people, takes care of the training of revolutionary personnel: several universities have fellows studying in preparation for underground activities.

Rakhmetov seems to be a stern and gloomy person. He himself says: “You see sad things, how can you not be a gloomy monster?” But his severity is only external; behind it lies a tender and loving nature. “For all his phenomenal rudeness, he was, in essence, very delicate,” notes Chernyshevsky. “What a gentle and kind person he is,” Vera Pavlovna thinks about him.

In order to help the oppressed, Rakhmetov refuses personal happiness. “I must suppress love in myself,” he says to his beloved woman - love I would tie my hands to you, they won’t be untied for me any time soon - they’re already tied. But I'll untie it. I shouldn’t love... people like me don’t have the right to connect anyone’s fate with theirs.”

Rakhmetov fights for the happiness of the people, and this struggle becomes the work of his whole life. The path that Rakhmetov follows is not easy, but it is rich in happiness and joy. The importance of the Rakhmetovs for life is enormous. “There are few of them, but with them the life of everyone blossoms; without them it would die out, it would turn sour; there are few of them, but they give all people to breathe, without them people would suffocate.”

Probably people like Rakhmetov are necessary for society. His “ideality” sometimes causes bewilderment. And yet it is impossible not to admire a person with such endurance, willpower, and determination.

Central to the novel is the image of Rakhmetov - not only “new”, but also a “special person”, a “higher nature”, in which the best features of the progressive people of N.G.’s era merged. Chernyshevsky. Being an aristocrat by birth, he becomes a democrat in his views on life and life ideals. Rakhmetov is a professional revolutionary, revolutionary leader. This is a “knight without fear and reproach”, a man as if forged from pure steel. There are few people like him. “I have met,” notes Chernyshevsky, “so far only eight specimens of this breed...”
Rakhmetov did not immediately become a “special person.” The rapprochement with Kirsanov, who introduced Rakhmetov to the teachings of the utopian socialists and the philosophy of Feuerbach, was the impetus for his transformation into a “special person.” “He listened greedily to Kirsanov on the first evening, cried, interrupted his words with exclamations of curses for what should perish, blessings for what should live.” Rakhmetov, having studied the theory of socialism, soon moves on to revolutionary action, becomes a revolutionary, a man of a “special breed.” “He is more important than all of us here, taken together,” Kirsanov says about him. Rakhmetov expands his range of activities with amazing speed after he switches to revolutionary activities. At twenty-two, “he was already a man of very remarkably thorough learning.” Rakhmetov read only “original” works, and this is because, in his opinion, “there are very few major works on each subject; in all the rest it only repeats, dilutes, spoils what is contained much more fully and clearly in these few works. You need to read only them; any other reading is just a waste of time.” Realizing that the strength of a leader lies in his closeness to the people, Rakhmetov studies the life of workers. He traveled all over Russia on foot, was a woodcutter, a sawyer, a stone cutter, and together with barge haulers pulled barges along the Volga. Because of his strength, the barge haulers nicknamed him Nikitushka Lomov in memory of the legendary Volga hero. Rakhmetov prepared himself for revolutionary activity; he knew that he would have to endure hardships, torment, perhaps even torture. And he tempers his will in advance, accustoming himself to withstand physical suffering.
Rakhmetov is distinguished by his rare ability to work. “He managed to do an awful lot, because at the disposal of time he placed upon himself exactly the same curbing of whims as in material things. He didn’t waste a quarter of an hour a month on entertainment; he didn’t need rest.” His activities were varied, and changing them was a rest for Rakhmetov. Chernyshevsky, for obvious reasons, could not speak openly about Rakhmetov’s secret revolutionary work. He only mentions that Rakhmetov “had an abyss of things to do, and all the things that didn’t concern him personally; He had no personal affairs, everyone knew that... He was at home little, he kept walking and driving around, walking more. But he... had people... often he was not at home for several days. Then, instead of him, one of his friends sat with him and received visitors, devoted to him in soul and body and silent as the grave.” Rakhmetov, knowing that the revolution needs dedicated and knowledgeable people, takes care of the training of revolutionary personnel: his fellows study at several universities, preparing for underground activities. Rakhmetov seems to be a stern and gloomy person. He himself says: “You see sad things, how can you not be a gloomy monster.” But its severity is only external. “For all his phenomenal rudeness, he was, in essence, very delicate,” notes Chernyshevsky. “What a gentle and kind person he is,” Vera Pavlovna thinks about him.
Rakhmetov refuses personal happiness in the name of revolutionary work. “I must suppress love in myself,” he says to the woman he loves, “love for you would tie my hands, they will not soon be untangled for me - they are already tied. But I'll untie it. I shouldn’t love... people like me don’t have the right to connect someone else’s fate with theirs.” Rakhmetov fights for the happiness of the people, and this struggle becomes the work of his whole life. “They are few, but with them the life of all flourishes; 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 kind people, but such people are few; but they are... the salt of the earth.”
Although the literary Rakhmetov had, according to Chernyshevsky, real prototypes, it should be noted that the novel “What is to be done?” has the characteristics of a utopia. This statement applies not only to the image of Rakhmetov, to the image of Vera Pavlovna and her activities, but to the introduction of new forms of labor organization. In the novel, the author created the image of a revolutionary who completely abandoned his personal life. He is merciless to himself. But will he be merciless to others? Abstract humanism, gaining strength, can turn into its opposite when, militantly, it imposes happiness on people. Literary image a person selflessly serving the utopian idea became an ideal for many revolutionaries; this image was worshiped by lone terrorists, individual revolutionary groups and entire parties.