The paper considers several “wanderer” type characters of Russian classical literature in terms
of their narrative identity, starting from Pushkin’s speech by Dostoevsky. Using the category of
subjective identity developed by Eric Erickson, as well as the identity separation on the outside
recognizable identity of the character and the inner “self” of the person proposed by Paul Rickyer,
allowed revealing one of the main trends in the Russian literature of the 19th century. The identity
of the central character is problematized, with the internal splitting, non-identity to oneself becoming
a plot-forming factor. In particular, Onegin, Bazarov, some of Chekhov’s heroes are
shown as personalities in a crisis state suffering from “sociocultural autism.” Also, Chichikov and
Andrei Bolkonsky, mentioned by Dostoevsky among the “baseless” heroes, are considered from
this perspective. At the same time, in line with Dostoevsky’s interpretation of the image of Tatiana
Larina, the author reveals the manifestations of inner integrity, motivated by the personality
being rooted in the national culture. Not only Pushkin’s woman character is examined but also the
figures of Kate (“Fathers and children”) and Peter (“The Bishop”). However, the extra-crisis integrity
of Odintsova by Turgenev or Olenka Plemyannikova by Chekhov is artistically discredited.
In later works, the crisis split between character and personality becomes the key innovative
factor in Chekhov’s narrative. At the same time, the Russian classic creates such a system of values
where it is not stability and strength of character that is of central concern, but the identity of
a person – an analogue of national identity, motivated by the national identity of the character.
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