THE CLASSICS ABOUT FOOD: THE GASTRONOMIC THEME IN THE NOVEL BY N.G. CHERNYSHEVSKY “WHAT IS TO BE DONE?” AND THE NOVEL BY P.D. BOBORYKIN “CHINA TOWN”

Abstract

The article compares two novels by Russian writers of the 19th century: the famous novel by N.G. Chernyshevsky “What is to be done?” and the less well-known novel by P.D. Boborykin “China Town”. The researcher analyzes the artistic embodiment of the theme of food by these authors. In science, there is fragmentary information about the gastronomic culture of the 19th century. Particular interest is shown in the cuisine of the nobility, in the peculiarities of the rituals of dinner parties and dinners. The presence of this theme in each writer separately, unfortunately, has not been considered by anyone. In this article, the gastronomic addictions of the heroes of Chernyshevsky and of P.D. Boborykin are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on the novels of the writers. As a result of the study, the functional purpose of the motive of food in two writers is revealed. The researcher comes to conclusions about moderation in the depiction of food by Chernyshevsky and the dominance of generous and varied descriptions of cuisine by Boborykin. In the novel “What is to be done?” the main character takes care of the kitchen for her employees and, in her ideal of a good life for herself, Gastronomic Moscow is fully represented by Boborykin. For Chernyshevsky, the motive of food is one of the links in the image of a wonderful future.