Phacocytes

Phacocytes, a term drawn from biology, becomes a central metaphor in the moral and social philosophy of Valdemar Simonson, a political prisoner in Tolstoy's Resurrection. Simonson, a man who lives by his own reasoned principles, interprets the function of phacocytes—white blood cells that protect the body by consuming harmful particles—as a model for a selfless, celibate elite whose purpose is to sustain and heal the larger human organism. This concept shapes his entire worldview, including his decision to love Katerina Maslova platonically, and it marks him as a distinct figure among the revolutionaries, one whose ascetic idealism sets him apart from both the sensual corruption of the criminal world and the political dogmatism of his fellow exiles.

Origin and Meaning of the Concept

Simonson develops his theory of phacocytes after formulating a broader religious and philosophical system. He believes that everything in the world is alive, that nothing is truly lifeless, and that all objects considered inorganic are merely parts of an enormous organic body that humans cannot fully comprehend. Within this framework, a person's task is to sustain the life of that huge organism and all its animate parts. This leads him to oppose war, capital punishment, and every kind of killing, not only of human beings but also of animals. He finds confirmation for his theory in the existence of phacocytes in the blood. According to his reasoning, celibates—those who refrain from procreation—function like these cells: their highest purpose is to help the weak and sickly particles of the organism, rather than to increase its numbers.

Application to Simonson's Life and Love

From the moment Simonson arrives at this conclusion, he begins to consider himself and Mary Pavlovna Schetinina as phacocytes, and he lives accordingly, despite having been addicted to vice as a youth. His love for Maslova does not infringe upon this conception because he loves her platonically. Such love, he believes, cannot hinder his activity as a phacocyte but instead acts as an inspiration. When he confesses his feelings to Nekhludoff, he insists that he is not in love with Maslova in the ordinary sense, but loves her as a splendid, unique human being who has suffered much. He wants nothing from her except the chance to lighten her position, and he is willing to be sent to the place of her imprisonment to live near her and serve her. This Platonic, self-sacrificing love is the practical expression of his phacocyte ideal.

Contrast with Other Characters

Simonson's phacocyte philosophy distinguishes him sharply from the other political prisoners. Unlike Novodvoroff, who is driven by ambition and a desire for supremacy, or Kryltzoff, who burns with a vengeful hatred of the system, Simonson acts from a quiet, reasoned conviction. His vegetarianism—he refuses to wear the skin of slaughtered animals—and his rubber jacket and overshoes are outward signs of his consistent principles. Nekhludoff, observing him, recognizes that Simonson is one of those people whose actions follow the dictates of their reason and are determined by it, a masculine type in contrast to Novodvoroff's feminine type, whose reason justifies actions suggested by feelings. The phacocyte concept thus becomes a lens through which Simonson's entire character—his shyness, his modesty, his unshakeable resolve, and his peculiar, childlike tenderness—can be understood as a coherent whole.

Narrative and Thematic Significance

The phacocyte metaphor serves a crucial thematic function in the novel. It offers an alternative to the two dominant responses to suffering that Nekhludoff encounters: the state's brutal, mechanical punishment and the revolutionaries' violent, retaliatory struggle. Simonson's vision of a selfless, healing elite, dedicated not to reproduction or power but to the care of the weak, represents a third way—a form of service that is neither coercive nor destructive. It is this vision that ultimately attracts Maslova, who chooses to follow Simonson rather than accept Nekhludoff's offer of marriage. In doing so, she aligns herself with a philosophy of quiet, practical love, one that Tolstoy presents as a more authentic path to spiritual resurrection than either legal reform or revolutionary violence.