# What Is to Be Done? — Chapters explained > Chapter companions for What Is to Be Done? by Nikolay Chernyshevsky. - [What Is to Be Done?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/what-is-to-be-done.md): The chapter introduces the central philosophical and practical question of the novel, setting the stage for the characters' struggles against societal constraints and their pursuit of rational egoism, personal freedom, a - [A Vital Question](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/a-vital-question.md): This chapter presents a philosophical and ideological discussion centered on a 'vital question' concerning the nature of human motivation, self-interest, and the possibility of altruism within a rational framework. It ex - [A Fool](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/i-a-fool.md): The chapter opens on July 23, 1856, at a Petersburg hotel where a mysterious guest has checked in, locked his door, and cannot be roused. After breaking in, the room is found empty with a note stating he will leave at 11 - [II: The First Consequences of the Fool’s Deed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii-the-first-consequences-of-the-fool-s-deed.md): Vera Pavlovna receives a letter from Lopukhof announcing his departure and apparent suicide, believing he has sacrificed himself for her happiness with Kirsanov. Overcome with guilt, she resolves to leave Petersburg and - [III: Preface](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii-preface.md): The author directly addresses the reader, explaining his narrative approach and defending the truthfulness of his story. He admits to lacking artistic talent but insists that the value of the work lies in its honesty. He > 111 more chapter companions — [open a free preview](https://www.betterreads.dev/reader?bookId=what_is_to_be_done_se_945kb&preview=1) to unlock the rest. - [Part I: The Life of Viéra Pavlovna in Her Parents’ Family](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/part-i-the-life-of-vi-ra-pavlovna-in-her-parents-family.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/i.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii.md) - [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iv.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/v.md) - [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vi.md) - [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vii.md) - [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/viii.md) - [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ix.md) - [Part II: First Love, and Legal Marriage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/part-ii-first-love-and-legal-marriage.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/i.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii.md) - [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iv.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/v.md) - [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vi.md) - [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vii.md) - [VIII: The Temptation of Hamlet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/viii-the-temptation-of-hamlet.md) - [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ix.md) - [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/x.md) - [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xi.md) - [XII: Viérotchka’s First Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xii-vi-rotchka-s-first-dream.md) - [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiii.md) - [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiv.md) - [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xv.md) - [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvi.md) - [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvii.md) - [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xviii.md) - [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xix.md) - [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xx.md) - [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxi.md) - [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxii.md) - [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiii.md) - [XXIV: A Word of Praise for Marya Alekséyevna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiv-a-word-of-praise-for-marya-aleks-yevna.md) - [Part III: Marriage and Second Love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/part-iii-marriage-and-second-love.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/i.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii.md) - [III: Viéra Pavlovna’s Second Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii-vi-ra-pavlovna-s-second-dream.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iv.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/v.md) - [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vi.md) - [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vii.md) - [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/viii.md) - [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ix.md) - [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/x.md) - [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xi.md) - [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xii.md) - [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiii.md) - [XIV: Nástenka’s Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiv-n-stenka-s-story.md) - [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xv.md) - [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvi.md) - [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvii.md) - [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xviii.md) - [XIX: Viéra Pavlovna’s Third Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xix-vi-ra-pavlovna-s-third-dream.md) - [XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xx.md) - [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxi.md) - [A Theoretical Conversation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxii-a-theoretical-conversation.md) - [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiii.md) - [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiv.md) - [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxv.md) - [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxvi.md) - [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxvii.md) - [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxviii.md) - [XXIX: An Extraordinary Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxix-an-extraordinary-man.md) - [Rakhmétov's Visit and the Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxx.md) - [XXXI: A Colloquy with the Sapient Reader, and His Banishment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxxi-a-colloquy-with-the-sapient-reader-and-his-banishment.md) - [Part IV: Second Marriage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/part-iv-second-marriage.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/i.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii.md) - [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iv.md) - [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/v.md) - [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vi.md) - [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vii.md) - [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/viii.md) - [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ix.md) - [X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/x.md) - [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xi.md) - [XII: A Digression Concerning Blue Stockings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xii-a-digression-concerning-blue-stockings.md) - [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiii.md) - [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiv.md) - [XV: Viéra Pavlovna’s Fourth Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xv-vi-ra-pavlovna-s-fourth-dream.md) - [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvi.md) - [XVII: A Letter from Ekaterina Vasílyevna Pólozova](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvii-a-letter-from-ekaterina-vas-lyevna-p-lozova.md) - [Part V: New People, and the Finale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/part-v-new-people-and-the-finale.md) - [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/i.md) - [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii.md) - [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii.md) - [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iv.md) - [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/v.md) - [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vi.md) - [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vii.md) - [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/viii.md) - [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ix.md) - [X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/x.md) - [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xi.md) - [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xii.md) - [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiii.md) - [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiv.md) - [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xv.md) - [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvi.md) - [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvii.md) - [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xviii.md) - [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xix.md) - [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xx.md) - [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxi.md) - [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxii.md) - [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiii.md) - [Part VI: Change of Scenes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/part-vi-change-of-scenes.md) - [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/endnotes.md) HTML index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters