What is to be Done? [Paperback]

The teacher of a Russian/English literature course I once took assigned us only a single chapter of Chernyshevsky, because he could not in good conscience make us read what he described as "a rather tiresome book". Mainly because I had not yet discovered how to remove lecturers' photocopies from the library, I got hold of a copy of the book and I read it in two days. Chernyshevsky is not at all hard going. I later discovered that one person in twenty ended up reading and liking the book. I hope it's not just the most counter-suggestible person among the twenty.

I can, however, see what the lecturer meant. The book is fiction but the author makes no secret of the fact that it's also propaganda. I can forgive this because (a) the author makes no secret of the fact, and (b) it's largely propaganda in a worthy cause: sexual and social equality. Also, Chernyshevsky is no fool. He doesn't waste his time with blather of the "women are people too" kind, but offers genuine analysis of why society is the way it is. Given when he's writing, I'm impressed. There's a little too much utopian sentiment at the end, but less than you would think... Note this: the central character stages his own death in order to allow his best friend to legally marry his wife when he discovers she's more in love with the friend than with him; he gets the consent of both parties first and the three remain friends. People of the late twentieth century who found themselves in nineteenth-century Russia they might easily behave just the same way. It must have seemed bizaare at the time: but actually, Chernyshevsky knew what he was talking about.

Think of some of the extended essays of George Orwell, or of the more plotless novels of H.G. Wells. Chernyshevsky is at any rate closer to the mark than the latter; although not, of course, as rich in ideas as the former.

Chernyshevsky’s ‘WITBD’ is considered one of the first socialist novels in modern Russian writing, and caused a huge stir when it was first published. It follows the story of Vera Pavolvna, a young girl from a poor family who is anxious to escape her domestic situation. Her mother is a violent alcoholic for whom the only chance of a better life lies in getting Vera married off to a rich suitor. Vera has other ideas and plans to marry for love and work for a living. She meets Lopukhov and, united by their socialist ideals, they enter into a sexless marriage and set up tailoring business in which the workers are viewed as equal partners in the enterprise. When Vera falls for Lopukhov’s friend Storeshnikov, he does the decent thing and steps aside (in spectacular fashion) to allow true love to blossom.
‘WITBD’ was hugely influential in its time, being discussed by characters in Dostoevsky novels and cited by figures such as Lenin as an important influence. However, I don’t think that it has aged especially well. The characters are interesting, but very much of their day. The book is very sexist, not just as regards the attitude towards women within the story, which was purposeful, but also in the attitude of the author towards women. Although they are supposed to be emancipated and headstrong (Vera in particular) they all seem to need a man to tell them who they should be marrying and why, while they giggle and cry and declare themselves to be silly. Perhaps Chernyshevsky’s view of women was progressive for 1860s Russia, but I was reading it now, not them, and it did detract from the book. Also, the view of socialism expounded in the book seems a bit dated. Chernyshevsky was, admittedly, writing before any sort of socialist government had existed anywhere in the world, so he was only guessing at what was possible. Vera and Lopukhov’s tailor shop is an interesting stab at guessing what a private business run on Marxist ideals would look like, but the extension of the socialist ideals into their private relationships does, I think, look a little silly now. Lopukhov’s utter lack of jealousy or hard-feeling towards Storeshnikov may be admirable, but felt a little unlikely, as did the sexlessness of Vera and Lopukhov’s marriage. Also detracting from the book, for me, were Chernyshevsky’s asides to the readers, something that I can’t stand anyway, but seemed especially condescending here.
I did enjoy reading ‘WITBD’, but perhaps for its historical context and influence rather than the actual story. I found a lot of it to be a bit of a slog. If I wasn’t already interested in Russian literature and history I suspect that I would have found the whole thing to be a bit of a waste of time. If you have dipped your toe into Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Turgenev et al., then I would recommend ‘WITBD’, if you are feeling brave, but it is not a book, I think, just to be picked up casually and enjoyed.