Rakhmetov
Encyclopedia
Rakhmetov is a fictional character from the 1863 novel What Is to Be Done? by Nikolai Chernyshevsky
. Although he is only a minor character (appearing in just 1/10 of the book at the end of chapter three), he is the most famous because he inspired so many Russian revolutionaries. His only action in the story is to give the heroine, Vera Pavlovna, a note from her husband explaining that he has faked his suicide
.
Rakhmetov is descended from Rakhmet, a thirteenth century Tatar
chief. He is the second youngest of eight children. He inherits 400 Serfs and 7,000 acres of land. He is 22 when the novel takes place. His father is deeply conservative and clever. At 15 he falls in love with his father's mistress.
He studies at St. Petersburg University from 16-19, then gives up his studies to travel, estranging himself from his siblings and in-laws. At 17 he builds up his physical strength through Gymnastics
, then by barge hauling at 20 from which he gets the nickname Nikitouchka Lomoff, a legendarily strong boat hauler on the Volga
. His other nickname is 'the rigorist'. He performs all kinds of manual labor on his travels: digging, sawing and iron forging. He explains: "I must do it, it will make me loved and esteemed by the common people. And it is useful ; some day it may prove good for some-thing."
He befriends five or six students and studies obsessively, reading continuously for 82 hours, fueled by eight strong coffees before sleeping for 15 hours. He adopts a strict, puritanical way of life. He is celibate, teetotal
, sleeps on planks and usually eats black bread and steak. The only luxury he allows himself are fine cigars "Without my cigar I cannot think; if that is a fact, it is not my fault; but perhaps it is due to the weakness of my will." In St. Petersburg he permits himself oranges because there ordinary people eat them, but in the countryside he doesn't touch them. After six months continuous reading (mainly Gogol, Adam Smith
, Ricardo
and John Stuart Mill
he decides he has acquired enough knowledge. He never visits people longer than necessary and only visits people with influence over others. He only visits his home to sleep at two or three in the morning.
His ultimate act of self punishment is sleeping on a bed of nails
, which may have been based on certain Orthodox Saints
. He explains this as a " A trial. It was necessary to make it. Improbable, certainly, but at all events it was necessary to make it. I know now what I can do." Two months later he loses a lump of flesh saving a 19-year-old widow from a stampeding horse. She nurses him, falls in love with him but he rejects her explaining his devotion to the people precludes love.
He tours Europe and the USA. He is rumoured to have met the founder of a new German school of philosophy, possibly Karl Marx
. He has decidely modern views on suicide
, only understanding it if it is to escape a painful illness. He criticises Vera for abandoning her sewing cooperative, he later pretends to be in love with her so she will travel with him.
and Bolshevism. Lenin imitated Rakhmetov with daily weight lifting, while Nechaev copied him by sleeping on a wooden bed and living on black bread. Nikolai Ishutin
copied the character's boat hauling feats.
His character was praised by the Soviet government as an example of how the new Soviet man should act.
The main character of André Gide's Les caves du Vatican (English: Lafcadio's Adventures), Lafcadio, bears a striking resemblance to Rakhmetov. Pavel Aleksandrovich Bakhmetev, a noble acquaintance of Chernyshevsky who sold his serfs in 1857, may have inspired the character.
Nikolai Chernyshevsky
Nikolay Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky was a Russian revolutionary democrat, materialist philosopher, critic, and socialist...
. Although he is only a minor character (appearing in just 1/10 of the book at the end of chapter three), he is the most famous because he inspired so many Russian revolutionaries. His only action in the story is to give the heroine, Vera Pavlovna, a note from her husband explaining that he has faked his suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Rakhmetov is descended from Rakhmet, a thirteenth century Tatar
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
chief. He is the second youngest of eight children. He inherits 400 Serfs and 7,000 acres of land. He is 22 when the novel takes place. His father is deeply conservative and clever. At 15 he falls in love with his father's mistress.
He studies at St. Petersburg University from 16-19, then gives up his studies to travel, estranging himself from his siblings and in-laws. At 17 he builds up his physical strength through Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
, then by barge hauling at 20 from which he gets the nickname Nikitouchka Lomoff, a legendarily strong boat hauler on the Volga
Volga River
The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...
. His other nickname is 'the rigorist'. He performs all kinds of manual labor on his travels: digging, sawing and iron forging. He explains: "I must do it, it will make me loved and esteemed by the common people. And it is useful ; some day it may prove good for some-thing."
He befriends five or six students and studies obsessively, reading continuously for 82 hours, fueled by eight strong coffees before sleeping for 15 hours. He adopts a strict, puritanical way of life. He is celibate, teetotal
Teetotalism
Teetotalism refers to either the practice of or the promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. A person who practices teetotalism is called a teetotaler or is simply said to be teetotal...
, sleeps on planks and usually eats black bread and steak. The only luxury he allows himself are fine cigars "Without my cigar I cannot think; if that is a fact, it is not my fault; but perhaps it is due to the weakness of my will." In St. Petersburg he permits himself oranges because there ordinary people eat them, but in the countryside he doesn't touch them. After six months continuous reading (mainly Gogol, Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
, Ricardo
Ricardo
Ricardo is the Portuguese and Spanish cognate of the name Richard. Therefore the name means "Brave Ruler".-People with the first name Ricardo:*Ricardo Arona, Brazilian mixed martial artist*Ricardo de Araújo Pereira, Portuguese comedian...
and John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, economist and civil servant. An influential contributor to social theory, political theory, and political economy, his conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control. He was a proponent of...
he decides he has acquired enough knowledge. He never visits people longer than necessary and only visits people with influence over others. He only visits his home to sleep at two or three in the morning.
His ultimate act of self punishment is sleeping on a bed of nails
Bed of nails
A bed of nails is an oblong piece of wood the size of a bed with nails pointing upwards out of it. It appears to the spectator that anyone lying on this "bed" would be injured by the nails, but this is not so...
, which may have been based on certain Orthodox Saints
Orthodox Saints Index
The Encyclopedia of Orthodox Saints is a new undertaking to list and categorize each and every Christian Saint recognised as such by the Eastern Orthodox Church. The current development has led to the establishment of a wiki-styled website which can be accessed by its members and others who wish...
. He explains this as a " A trial. It was necessary to make it. Improbable, certainly, but at all events it was necessary to make it. I know now what I can do." Two months later he loses a lump of flesh saving a 19-year-old widow from a stampeding horse. She nurses him, falls in love with him but he rejects her explaining his devotion to the people precludes love.
He tours Europe and the USA. He is rumoured to have met the founder of a new German school of philosophy, possibly Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
. He has decidely modern views on suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, only understanding it if it is to escape a painful illness. He criticises Vera for abandoning her sewing cooperative, he later pretends to be in love with her so she will travel with him.
Impact
Rakhmetov was variously regarded as a saint, holy fool or just an eccentric. He inspired the founders of Russian NihilismNihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
and Bolshevism. Lenin imitated Rakhmetov with daily weight lifting, while Nechaev copied him by sleeping on a wooden bed and living on black bread. Nikolai Ishutin
Nikolai Ishutin
Nikolai Andreyevich Ishutin was one of the first Russian utopian socialists, who combined socialist propaganda among the people with conspiratorial and terrorist tactics....
copied the character's boat hauling feats.
His character was praised by the Soviet government as an example of how the new Soviet man should act.
The main character of André Gide's Les caves du Vatican (English: Lafcadio's Adventures), Lafcadio, bears a striking resemblance to Rakhmetov. Pavel Aleksandrovich Bakhmetev, a noble acquaintance of Chernyshevsky who sold his serfs in 1857, may have inspired the character.