What Is to Be Done? · Chapter
Chapter XX explained
Vera Pavlovna counts down the days until her freedom from her mother's house, eagerly anticipating her marriage to Lopukhóf.
What happens
Vera Pavlovna counts down the days until her freedom from her mother's house, eagerly anticipating her marriage to Lopukhóf. She meets secretly with Lopukhóf, and they plan a rendezvous on the Konno-Gvardéïsky Boulevard. Eventually, she confronts her mother and reveals she has already married Lopukhóf, then escapes in a carriage.
Themes in this chapter
Freedom and Individuality
Vera's countdown to freedom and her secret marriage to Lopukhóf represent her struggle for personal autonomy against her mother's oppressive control.
Love and Marriage
The chapter centers on Vera's marriage to Lopukhóf as a liberating act, contrasting with the conventional arranged marriage her mother would have chosen.
Characters to notice
- Viéra Pavlovna
Counts down the days to freedom, meets secretly with Lopukhóf, and finally escapes her mother's house after revealing her marriage.
- Dmitri Sergéitch Lopukhóf
Plans a meeting with Vera on the boulevard and supports her escape; they have already married.
- Marya Alekséyevna
Vera's mother, who is deceived by Vera's excuse to go to the Nevsky Prospekt and is left behind when Vera escapes.
Key passages
“I shall get out of this cellar. Akh! how happy I am! My mílenki ! how cleverly he thought it all out! How happy I am!”
Vera rejoices that she will soon escape her oppressive home life, praising Lopukhóf's clever plan.
Vera's emotional relief and gratitude toward Lopukhóf for orchestrating her escape.
“Goodbye, mámenka ; I am going to my husband. Dmitri Sergéitch and I were married three days ago.”
Vera announces to her mother that she has already married Lopukhóf and is leaving home.
The climactic moment of Vera's rebellion and assertion of independence.