ЭВОЛЮЦИЯ ЖЕНСКОГО ИДЕАЛА В ТВОРЧЕСТВЕ ГЕРЦЕНА (1830-1850 ГГ.)

The article is devoted to the consistent development of the ideal character of a woman from the 1830s to the 1850s, on initial stage of the emancipation of women in Russia. The article analyzes the versions of this female ideal character presented in the novel “Who is to Blame?” (1841-1846), the stories “The Thieving Magpie” (1846) and “The Damaged” (1851). Article analyzes female characters and main motives of Herzen’s creative writing. Moreover, on autopsychological and autobiographical “subtext” of female character in these works is emphasized as well as their connection to the ideological and philosophical quests of the writer.The analysis focuses on his cousin, and later wife, N. A. Zakharina. In the 1832-1838s correspondence between A. Herzen andN. Zakharina, the character of N. Zakharina obtains the traits of an “angel woman” that the writer later reconsiders in his creative writing in accordance with his philosophical beliefs. N. Zakharyina inspired a main character of the book “My Past and Thoughts”. a prototype of the ideal “new woman” character, which encompasses both private and public beginnings.