The poem “Dead Souls” was conceived by Gogol as a grandiose panorama of Russian society with all its features and paradoxes. The central problem of the work is the spiritual death and rebirth of representatives of the main Russian classes of that time. The author exposes and ridicules the vices of the landowners, the corruption and destructive passions of the bureaucrats.
The title of the work itself has a double meaning. “Dead souls” are not only dead peasants, but also other actually living characters in the work. By calling them dead, Gogol emphasizes their devastated, pitiful, “dead” souls.
History of creation
“Dead Souls” is a poem to which Gogol devoted a significant part of his life. The author repeatedly changed the concept, rewrote and reworked the work. Initially, Gogol conceived Dead Souls as a humorous novel. However, in the end I decided to create a work that exposes the problems of Russian society and will serve its spiritual revival. This is how the POEM “Dead Souls” appeared.
Gogol wanted to create three volumes of the work. In the first, the author planned to describe the vices and decay of the serf society of that time. In the second, give its heroes hope for redemption and rebirth. And in the third he intended to describe the future path of Russia and its society.
However, Gogol only managed to finish the first volume, which appeared in print in 1842. Until his death, Nikolai Vasilyevich worked on the second volume. However, just before his death, the author burned the manuscript of the second volume.
Third volume " Dead souls" was never written. Gogol could not find the answer to the question of what will happen next to Russia. Or maybe I just didn’t have time to write about it.
Description of the work
One day, a very interesting character appeared in the city of NN, who stood out very much from other old-timers of the city - Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. After his arrival, he began to actively get acquainted with important persons of the city, attending feasts and dinners. A week later, the newcomer was already on friendly terms with all the representatives of the city nobility. Everyone was delighted with the new man who suddenly appeared in the city.
Pavel Ivanovich goes out of town to pay visits to noble landowners: Manilov, Korobochka, Sobakevich, Nozdryov and Plyushkin. He is polite to every landowner and tries to find an approach to everyone. Natural resourcefulness and resourcefulness help Chichikov to gain the favor of every landowner. In addition to empty talk, Chichikov talks with the gentlemen about the peasants who died after the audit (“dead souls”) and expresses a desire to buy them. The landowners cannot understand why Chichikov needs such a deal. However, they agree to it.
As a result of his visits, Chichikov acquired more than 400 “dead souls” and was in a hurry to quickly finish his business and leave the city. The useful contacts Chichikov made upon his arrival in the city helped him resolve all issues with documents.
After some time, the landowner Korobochka let slip in the city that Chichikov was buying up “dead souls.” The whole city learned about Chichikov's affairs and was perplexed. Why would such a respected gentleman buy dead peasants? Endless rumors and speculation have a detrimental effect even on the prosecutor, and he dies of fear.
The poem ends with Chichikov hastily leaving the city. Leaving the city, Chichikov sadly recalls his plans to buy dead souls and pledge them to the treasury as living ones.
Main characters
A qualitatively new hero in Russian literature of that time. Chichikov can be called a representative of the newest class, just emerging in serf Russia - entrepreneurs, “acquirers”. The activity and activity of the hero distinguishes him favorably from other characters in the poem.
The image of Chichikov is distinguished by its incredible versatility and diversity. Even by the appearance of the hero it is difficult to immediately understand what kind of person he is and what he is like. “In the chaise sat a gentleman, not handsome, but not of bad appearance, neither too fat nor too thin, one cannot say that he is old, but not that he is too young.”
It is difficult to understand and embrace the nature of the main character. He is changeable, has many faces, is able to adapt to any interlocutor, and give his face the desired expression. Thanks to these qualities, Chichikov easily finds mutual language with landowners, officials and wins the desired position in society. Ability to charm and win over the right people Chichikov uses it to achieve his goal, namely receiving and accumulating money. His father also taught Pavel Ivanovich to deal with those who are richer and to treat money with care, since only money can pave the way in life.
Chichikov did not earn money honestly: he deceived people, took bribes. Over time, Chichikov's machinations become increasingly widespread. Pavel Ivanovich strives to increase his fortune by any means, without paying attention to any moral norms and principles.
Gogol defines Chichikov as a person with a vile nature and also considers his soul dead.
In his poem, Gogol describes typical images of landowners of that time: “business executives” (Sobakevich, Korobochka), as well as not serious and wasteful gentlemen (Manilov, Nozdrev).
Nikolai Vasilyevich masterfully created the image of the landowner Manilov in the work. By this one image, Gogol meant a whole class of landowners with similar features. The main qualities of these people are sentimentality, constant fantasies and lack of active activity. Landowners of this type let the economy take its course and do nothing useful. They are stupid and empty inside. This is exactly what Manilov was - not bad at heart, but a mediocre and stupid poser.
Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka
The landowner, however, differs significantly in character from Manilov. Korobochka is a good and tidy housewife; everything goes well on her estate. However, the landowner's life revolves exclusively around her farm. The box does not develop spiritually and is not interested in anything. She understands absolutely nothing that does not concern her household. Korobochka is also one of the images by which Gogol meant a whole class of similar narrow-minded landowners who do not see anything beyond their farm.
The author clearly classifies the landowner Nozdryov as an unserious and wasteful gentleman. Unlike the sentimental Manilov, Nozdrev is full of energy. However, the landowner uses this energy not for the benefit of the farm, but for the sake of his momentary pleasures. Nozdryov is playing and wasting his money. Distinguished by its frivolity and idle attitude towards life.
Mikhail Semenovich Sobakevich
The image of Sobakevich, created by Gogol, echoes the image of a bear. There is something of a large wild animal in the appearance of the landowner: clumsiness, sedateness, strength. Sobakevich is not concerned about the aesthetic beauty of the things around him, but about their reliability and durability. Behind his rough appearance and stern character lies a cunning, intelligent and resourceful person. According to the author of the poem, it will not be difficult for landowners like Sobakevich to adapt to the changes and reforms coming in Rus'.
The most unusual representative of the landowner class in Gogol's poem. The old man is distinguished by his extreme stinginess. Moreover, Plyushkin is greedy not only in relation to his peasants, but also in relation to himself. However, such savings make Plyushkin a truly poor man. After all, it is his stinginess that does not allow him to find a family.
Bureaucracy
Gogol's work contains a description of several city officials. However, the author in his work does not significantly differentiate them from each other. All officials in “Dead Souls” are a gang of thieves, crooks and embezzlers. These people really only care about their enrichment. Gogol literally describes in a few outlines the image of a typical official of that time, rewarding him with the most unflattering qualities.
Analysis of the work
The plot of “Dead Souls” is based on an adventure conceived by Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. At first glance, Chichikov's plan seems incredible. However, if you look at it, the Russian reality of those times, with its rules and laws, provided opportunities for all sorts of fraud associated with serfs.
The fact is that after 1718 in Russian Empire A capitation census of peasants was introduced. For every male serf, the master had to pay a tax. However, the census was carried out quite rarely - once every 12-15 years. And if one of the peasants ran away or died, the landowner was still forced to pay a tax for him. Dead or escaped peasants became a burden for the master. This created fertile ground for various types of fraud. Chichikov himself hoped to carry out this kind of scam.
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol knew perfectly well how Russian society with its serfdom system was structured. And the whole tragedy of his poem lies in the fact that Chichikov’s scam absolutely did not contradict the current Russian legislation. Gogol exposes the distorted relationships of man with man, as well as man with the state, and talks about the absurd laws in force at that time. Because of such distortions, events become possible that contradict common sense.
“Dead Souls” is a classic work, which, like no other, was written in the style of Gogol. Quite often, Nikolai Vasilyevich based his work on some anecdote or comical situation. And the more ridiculous and unusual the situation, the more tragic the real state of affairs seems.
The main theme of the poem “Dead Souls” is the theme of the present and future of Russia. Mercilessly scolding the order that existed in the country, Gogol was confident that Russia would be a prosperous country, that the time would come when Russia would become an ideal for other countries. This conviction arose from a sense of enormous creative energy that lay hidden in the depths of the people. The image of the homeland in the poem serves as the personification of everything great that the Russian people are capable of. Towering above all the pictures and images drawn in the poem, the image of Russia is covered with the ardent love of the author, who dedicated his creative work to his native country. In his poem, Gogol denounces those who interfered with the development of the creative forces of the nation and people, and mercilessly debunks the “masters of life” - the nobles. People like Manilov, Sobakevich, Plyushkin, Chichikov cannot be the creators of spiritual values.
The embodiment of the mighty rise of vital energy and aspiration to the future is the amazing image of Russia, like a trio of birds rushing into the vast distance. “Aren’t you, Rus', like a brisk and unstoppable troika, rushing along? The road beneath you smokes, the bridges rattle, everything lags behind and remains behind... everything that is on earth flies past, and, looking askance, other peoples and states step aside and give way to it.” The author's lyrical statements are filled with high pathos. “...What a sparkling, wonderful, unfamiliar distance to the earth!
Rus!" One after another, Gogol sketches pictures of Russian nature that appear before the gaze of a traveler rushing along an autumn road. It is no coincidence that the writer contrasts the stagnation of local owners with Russia’s rapid movement forward. This expresses his faith in the future of the country and people. The writer's lyrical reflections on the living character of the hardworking Russian nation are among the most heartfelt pages, warmed by the unquenchable flame of patriotism. Gogol understood perfectly well that the inventive mind and creative talents of the Russian people would only turn into a powerful force when they were free. Fervently believing in the great future of Russia, Gogol, however, did not clearly imagine the path along which it was supposed to come to power, glory and prosperity.
“Rus', where are you going, give me the answer? Doesn't give an answer." The writer did not know the real ways by which the contradictions between the country’s state of depression and its prosperity could be overcome. In his denunciation of social evil, Gogol objectively reflected the protest of broad sections of the people against the serfdom system. It was on this basis that his flagellating satire grew, exposing the rulers of serf souls, bureaucratic rulers. Work on the second volume of the poem coincided with the writer’s deep spiritual crisis.
During this period of life, tendencies of bourgeois development began to inevitably appear. Gogol hated the kingdom of dead souls, but capitalism scared him. Gogol, as a deeply religious man, opposed any revolution. This was his attitude in life. If Saltykov-Shchedrin's laughter is aimed directly at undermining social foundations, then Gogol's laughter is fundamentally creative and humanistic. Possessing a gift of genius, N.V. Gogol created an outstanding work.
The lyrical pages of the poem dedicated to the people are the best in the work. Gogol endlessly loves his country and its people.
This might interest you:
- Loading... Play “ The Cherry Orchard”occupies a special place in the work of A.P. Chekhov. Before her, he awakened the idea of the need to change reality, showing hostility to the person of life...
- Loading... The entire development of Russian literature, especially the literature of critical realism, is associated with the name of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. Undoubtedly, the place that VT assigned him in his time...
- Loading... The poem “Dead Souls” is the pinnacle of N.V. Gogol’s creativity. This Russian writer truthfully depicted the life of Russia in the 30s of the 19th century. The idea is to “travel together...
- Loading... N.V. Gogol always considered the poem “Dead Souls,” which he worked on for about 17 years, as the main work of his life. In letters to V. Zhukovsky, he exclaims: “I swear, I will do something...
- Loading... N.V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls” reflected “everything good and bad that we have in Russia” (N. Gogol). "Dead Souls" -...
An essay on the topic “The theme of “dead souls” in N.V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls.”
Essay plan:
1.Introduction. a) History of the creation of the work
b) What are dead souls? In whom did the writer see the living force of the Russian nation?
2. Main part.
a) Who is Chichikov? “Who is he? So, a scoundrel?
b) Image, portrait, speech characteristic, a description of the home and household, the attitude of the landowners towards people and towards Chichikov’s proposal: Manilov, whose facial features were not “devoid of pleasantness”, Korobochka, the “strong-minded woman”, the “historical person” Nozdryov, the strong fist Sobakevich and Plyushkin, who is called the “hole” on humanity."
c) Why are landowners “dead souls”?
d) The image of peasants and people in the poem
e) “And how wonderful this road itself is!” - image of the road. Image of the city.
E) The image of officials, “thick and thin”
H) N.V. Gogol’s depiction of Russia
3.Why did Gogol name his work that way? How did Dead Souls shock all of Russia?
Gogol dreamed of a great epic work dedicated to Russia, which led him to the idea of Dead Souls. Work on the work began in 1835. Pushkin predicted the plot of the work, believing that the poem would show Rus' “from one side,” that is, from its negative side. In the end, Gogol showed all the good that was hidden in Russian life.
Gogol made the human soul in the poem the main subject of depiction in its individual and national manifestation. Gogol convinces the reader that the souls of landowners, officials and businessmen are “dead” or are in the stage of “death.” And the author saw the people's people in the Russian people. At the center of the plot are 5 heroes, whose descriptions in the poem Gogol gives in order. So Chichikov comes to the landowners with only one purpose, to buy “dead souls.” The gallery of images opens with the dreamer and mismanaged Manilov, who is replaced by the “club-headed” Korobochka, the reckless sharpie Nozdryov, the tight-fisted Sobakevich, and this gallery is completed by Plyushkin – “a hole in humanity”, who has fallen into a deathly sleep.
And who is Chichikov in the novel? In childhood, this hero developed such character qualities as achieving goals, a manner of pleasing, finding benefits for himself, and spiritual meanness. Since childhood, he remembers that he must “save a penny” and make capital. He is a bad friend, pleases teachers, does everything for profit. His official career began in the state chamber, where he entered after graduating from college: “He got an insignificant place, a salary of thirty or forty rubles.” He tries in every possible way to please the police officer, calls him daddy, kisses his hand, takes care of his daughter. “The stern police officer began to fuss over him,” Chichikov was promoted, he stopped calling the police officer daddy, and forgot about the wedding with his daughter. Chichikov understood from this that success in life is easier and faster the faster a person frees himself from the principles of morality, honor, etc. When Chichikov participated in the commission for the construction of a government building, he received substantial acquisitions and income. But when a new boss came and declared war on bribes, Chichikov had to look for a new job. Chichikov gains the trust of his superiors and receives a new rank. Through fraud, he obtains a fortune of half a million. Chichikov did not make peace with his accomplice, and he wrote a denunciation against him, depriving Chichikov of everything he had earned. After failure, he started everything from scratch, he comes up with the idea of a deal with " dead souls».
“Who is he? So, a scoundrel? Gogol calls Chichikov not a scoundrel, but an acquirer. Chichikov is an acquirer betting on capital, Chichikov is a hero of new times.
To each of the landowners depicted in the poem, Gogol presents one specific trait that characterizes a purposeless existence, and constitutes a general portrait of the class of landowners in feudal Russia.
Manilov is the first landowner to whom Chichikov came. Chichikov spent a long time looking for the estate: “the master’s house stood alone on the Jura...”, “two or three flower beds with lilac and yellow acacia bushes...” “The day was either clear or gloomy, but of some light gray color.” Manilov greets Chichikov very friendly and joyfully. Manilov’s character can be expressed through the lines: “everyone has their own enthusiasm, but Manilov did not have it,” “his facial features are not devoid of pleasantness.” He is not involved in farming, “the farming went on by itself.” He thinks a lot of ideas and plans, but does not implement them; he reads a book for two years with a bookmark on the same page. In his living room he has “wonderful furniture, upholstered in smart silk fabric, which was probably quite expensive.” Manilov has a wife with a good upbringing, two sons: Themistoclus and Alcides. At Chichikov’s offer to buy from him the peasants who died after the last census (revision tales), Manilov “opened his mouth and remained with his mouth open for several minutes.” Manilov gives away the dead souls for free and remains convinced that he has provided Chichikov with an invaluable service. After Chichikov’s departure, Manilov imagines a future friendship with Chichikov, reaching the point in his thoughts that the Tsar rewards them with the rank of general for their strong friendship.
Chichikov then goes to Sobakevich's estate, but due to heavy rain the coachman goes off the road. Chichikov ends up at the nearby estate of Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. Chichikov enters a room that is “hung with old striped wallpaper; paintings with some birds; between the windows there were old small mirrors with dark frames in the form of curled leaves; behind each mirror there was either a letter or an old deck of cards, or a stocking.” Korobochka is a hospitable, hospitable landowner. She collects money in colorful bags, which she keeps sewn up in the chest of drawers, which also stores linen, dresses and threads. Chichikov stays with her overnight, and in the morning he offers her to sell him dead souls. In response, she offers to buy hemp or honey from her. Chichikov manages to buy dead souls from her. She cannot understand why he needs such a purchase, she is afraid to sell it too cheap. “Well, the woman seems to be strong-headed,” “club-headed.” Korobochka's men have interesting and strange surnames: Neuvazhay-Koryto, Koleso Ivan and others.
Chichikov, who has a good appetite, drives into a tavern, where Nozdryov soon arrives. Nozdryov was “of average height, a very well-built fellow with full rosy cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns. It was fresh, like blood and milk; his health seemed to be dripping from his face.” “Everyone has met a lot of such people. They are called broken little ones.” Nozdryov, one might say, is a historical person, because wherever he was, there was history. Nozdryov tells Chichikov about the fair where he lost money, lies, says that he drank 17 bottles of champagne. Then Nozdryov invites Chichikov to visit him. Nozdryov loved to exchange things and lose money. In his name, Nozdryov shows Chichikov a stallion, a kennel, a pond in which there are large fish, “real” Turkish daggers, with the mark of the master Sibiryakov. Chichikov, starting a business conversation, states his request, explaining that he needs dead souls for a successful marriage. Nozdryov wants to give him non-existent peasants, but Chichikov refuses. Then Nozdryov invites him to play cards, cheats, Chichikov stops the game, Nozdryov starts a fight, the police officer arrests him, Chichikov “got into the chaise and ordered Selifan to drive the horses at full speed.”
The fourth landowner is Sobakevich, who in many ways resembles Korobochka. He is a hoarder, but he is very calculating and cunning. His house is wooden, built with the taste of the owner. The yard is surrounded by a lattice; full-weight and thick logs were used in the stables and barns. The village huts were well made, even the well was made of oak. It was immediately obvious that Sobakevich was a good owner who loved order: “Everything was stubborn,” “in some kind of strong and clumsy order.” In the room “everything was solid, awkward in the highest degree and bore some strange resemblance to its owner.” Sobakevich himself “is very similar to a medium-sized bear.” During lunch, Sobakevich eats a lot and talks about his neighbor Plyushkin, who has many peasants and is a very stingy man. Hearing Chichikov's proposal, Sobakevich immediately begins bargaining. He promises to sell souls for 100 rubles apiece, explaining this by the fact that his peasants were real craftsmen, for example, the carpenter Stepan Cork, the carriage maker Mikheev, the shoemaker Maxim Telyatnikov. To himself, Chichikov calls Sobakevich a “kulak”, and says out loud that the qualities of the peasants are not important, because they are dead. As a result, they agree on three rubles.
The last image of the gallery of landowners is Plyushkin, whose house can be called a “decrepit invalid,” whose walls suffered all the weather, the garden was overgrown and “was quite picturesque in its picturesque desolation.” Seeing Plyushkin, Chichikov at first does not understand “is this a man or a woman.” Plyushkin is dressed “in an indefinite dress, on his head is a cap and a robe. Plyushkin used to have children, he was widowed, his son left for the city, the eldest got married and left, and the youngest died. Loneliness gave rise to stinginess in Plyushkin. “The hay and bread rotted, the luggage and haystacks turned into pure manure, the flour in the basements turned into stone...” Upon learning that Chichikov wants to buy dead souls from him, he immediately sells him the runaway peasants. Plyushkin receives the money, hides it where it will lie until his death, he will never use it. Plyushkin is glad that Chichikov is leaving without even drinking tea, hiding the treats, making sure not a crumb is lost.
Landowners can be considered “dead souls” because they are depicted in the poem as a force devoid of patriotic feelings and aspirations. Representatives of the ruling strata are the “dead souls”. From the Dreamer Manilov to the “hole in the body of humanity” Plyushkin, the fall of representatives of the landowner classes is shown.
At that time, peasants made up the majority of the population, so Gogol pays special attention to this, since in his work he showed Russia in the context of its shortcomings. The text does not describe the peasants themselves, but judging by the description of their homes, we can judge their lives. Manilov’s “gray log huts darkened length and breadth.” At Korobochka there were “peasant huts, which, although they were built scattered and not enclosed in regular streets, but, according to a remark made by Chichikov, showed the contentment of the inhabitants,” “the gates were not askew anywhere,” “in the peasants’ covered sheds he noticed a spare almost new cart, and where there are two.” Sobakevich’s “wooden huts of the peasants were also cut down marvelously: there were no brick walls, carved patterns or other tricks, but everything was fitted tightly, as it should.” At Plyushkin’s “the logs on the huts were dark and old; many roofs were leaky like a sieve; on others there was only a ridge at the top and poles on the sides in the form of ribs,” “the windows in the huts were without glass, others were covered with a rag or a zipun.”
In the poem, the description of the peasants who are alive and who are remembered deserves special attention. For example, Sobakevich remembers each of his peasants by name, remembers who did what; two peasants who showed Chichikov the way to Manilovka; a peasant who drags “a very thick log, like a tireless ant, to his hut”; two women who, having picked up their dresses, wandered knee-deep in the pond, dragging their tattered nonsense by two wooden nags.” There are many such examples; they show the sweeping nature of the Russian person.
In the poem, the image of the city is shown through the images of officials, because the life of the city depends on in whose hands the power is. The image of a provincial town is a characteristic of the owners of the estates.
Speaking about the image of the road in the poem, we can quote the following lines from the text: “How strange and alluring and carrying and wonderful is the word: road! and how wonderful this road itself is! other peoples and states step aside and give it way.”
The road in the poem is a journey through time, Chichikov’s everyday experience, the author’s creative experience, the spiritual rebirth of the heroes, salvation, hope and the future of Russia.
The image of officials occupies a central place in the poem. Gogol focuses on characterizing the general portrait of “thick and thin” officials. They continue to be idle and mind their own business. Bribery is still considered completely normal. The author emphasizes the main thing: the anti-national and anti-state activities of officials. Both landowners and officials embody social evil, the highest degree of which is manifested in “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin” (Kopeikin is a hero of the war of 1812, a disabled person without an arm and a leg).
In his depiction of Russia, Gogol showed himself to be a realist writer. He is far from idealizing the enslaved peasantry, but in his lyrical digressions, in the episodes of the poem, Gogol conveys the idea of the mental and moral superiority of the Russian people over those who control their destiny. Throughout the entire narrative, images of men appearing in the poem, arguing about the “wheel” and “Zamanilovka”, Selifan, Petrushka, “who reads a lot and indiscriminately” and others.
The first volume of Dead Souls ends with the question about the future of Russia: “Rus, where are you going?” This question is addressed to the “three bird,” which in Gogol is a symbol of Russian life. Gogol believes in the future of Russia: “The bell rings with a wonderful ringing; The air, torn into pieces, thunders and becomes the wind; “everything that is on earth flies past, and, looking askance, other peoples and states step aside and give way to it.”
Gogol gives the name “Dead Souls” not by chance. The author creates a new type of narrative, merging two opposing elements of his work into one: laughter and tears, satire and lyricism. Everyone knows Herzen’s words that “Dead Souls” shocked “the whole of Russia.” The meaning of the shock was revealed by Belinsky. He explained this by the fact that the disputes about the book were literary and public character. In 1845, the writer burned the manuscript of the second volume of his poem. Influenced by Belinsky’s letter in 1848, Gogol began working on “Dead Souls,” but he also burned this manuscript. Not knowing how to save Russia, the writer, nevertheless, fulfilled the duty of an artist and a citizen of his country. Chernyshevsky said: “For a long time there has not been a writer in the world who would be as necessary for his people as Gogol was for Russia.”
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s work “Dead Souls” is one of the author’s most striking works. This poem, the plot of which is related to the description of Russian reality of the 19th century, is of great value for Russian literature. It was also significant for Gogol himself. No wonder he called it a “national poem” and explained that in this way he tried to expose the shortcomings of the Russian Empire, and then change the appearance of his homeland for the better.
The birth of the genre
The idea for Gogol to write “Dead Souls” was suggested to the author by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. At first, the work was conceived as a light humorous novel. However, after work began on the work “Dead Souls,” the genre in which the text was originally intended to be presented was changed.
The fact is that Gogol considered the plot to be very original and gave the presentation a different, more deep meaning. As a result, a year after the start of work on the work “Dead Souls,” its genre became more extensive. The author decided that his brainchild should become nothing more than a poem.
Main idea
The writer divided his work into 3 parts. In the first of them, he decided to point out all the shortcomings that took place in his contemporary society. In the second part, he planned to show how the process of correcting people takes place, and in the third - the lives of heroes who have already changed for the better.
In 1841, Gogol completed writing the first volume of Dead Souls. The plot of the book shocked the entire reading country, causing a lot of controversy. After the release of the first part, the author began work on a continuation of his poem. However, he was never able to finish what he started. The second volume of the poem seemed imperfect to him, and nine days before his death he burned the only copy of the manuscript. Only drafts of the first five chapters have been preserved for us, which today are considered a separate work.
Unfortunately, the trilogy remained unfinished. But the poem “Dead Souls” should have had significant meaning. Its main purpose was to describe the movement of the soul, which went through a fall, purification, and then rebirth. The main character of the poem, Chichikov, had to go through this path to the ideal.
Plot
The story told in the first volume of the poem “Dead Souls” takes us to the nineteenth century. It tells the story of a journey across Russia undertaken by the main character, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, to acquire so-called dead souls from landowners. The plot of the work provides the reader with a complete picture of the morals and life of the people of that time.
Let's look at the chapters of "Dead Souls" with their plot in a little more detail. This will give a general idea of a vibrant literary work.
Chapter first. Start
Where does the work “Dead Souls” begin? The topic raised in it describes the events that took place at a time when the French were finally expelled from Russian territory.
At the beginning of the story, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, who held the position of collegiate adviser, arrived in one of the provincial cities. When analyzing “Dead Souls,” the image of the main character becomes clear. The author shows him as a middle-aged man with an average build and good appearance. Pavel Ivanovich is extremely inquisitive. Situations arise when one can even talk about his intrusiveness and annoyingness. So, from the tavern servant he is interested in the owner’s income, and also tries to find out about all the city officials and the most noble landowners. He is also interested in the state of the region to which he came.
A collegiate advisor does not sit alone. He visits all officials, finding the right approach to them and choosing words that are pleasant for people. That is why they treat him just as well, which even surprises Chichikov a little, who has experienced many negative reactions towards himself and even survived an assassination attempt.
The main purpose of Pavel Ivanovich’s arrival is to find a place for a quiet life. To do this, while attending a party in the governor’s house, he meets two landowners - Manilov and Sobakevich. At a dinner with the police chief, Chichikov became friends with the landowner Nozdryov.
Chapter two. Manilov
The continuation of the plot is connected with Chichikov’s trip to Manilov. The landowner met the official on the threshold of his estate and led him into the house. The road to Manilov's home lay among gazebos on which signs were posted indicating that these were places for reflection and solitude.
When analyzing “Dead Souls,” one can easily characterize Manilov based on this decoration. This is a landowner who has no problems, but at the same time is too cloying. Manilov says that the arrival of such a guest is comparable to a sunny day and the happiest holiday. He invites Chichikov to dinner. Present at the table are the mistress of the estate and the two sons of the landowner - Themistoclus and Alcides.
After a hearty lunch, Pavel Ivanovich decides to talk about the reason that brought him to these parts. Chichikov wants to buy peasants who have already died, but their death has not yet been reflected in the audit certificate. His goal is to draw up all the documents, supposedly these peasants are still alive.
How does Manilov react to this? He has dead souls. However, the landowner is initially surprised by this proposal. But then he agrees to the deal. Chichikov leaves the estate and goes to Sobakevich. Meanwhile, Manilov begins to dream about how Pavel Ivanovich will live next door to him and what good friends they will become after he moves.
Chapter three. Getting to know the Box
On the way to Sobakevich, Selifan (Chichikov’s coachman) accidentally missed the right turn. And then it began to rain heavily, and Chichikov fell into the mud. All this forces the official to look for accommodation for the night, which he found with the landowner Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. Analysis of “Dead Souls” indicates that this lady is afraid of everything and everyone. However, Chichikov did not waste time and offered to purchase the deceased peasants from her. At first the old woman was intractable, but after the visiting official promised to buy all the lard and hemp from her (but next time), she agrees.
The deal was completed. The box treated Chichikov to pancakes and pies. Pavel Ivanovich, having eaten a hearty meal, moved on. And the landowner began to worry very much that she did not take enough money for the dead souls.
Chapter Four. Nozdryov
After visiting Korobochka, Chichikov drove onto the main road. He decided to visit a tavern he came across along the way to have a little snack. And here the author wanted to give this action some mystery. He does lyrical digressions. In “Dead Souls” he reflects on the properties of appetite inherent in people like the main character of his work.
While in the tavern, Chichikov meets Nozdryov. The landowner complained that he lost money at the fair. Then they follow to Nozdryov’s estate, where Pavel Ivanovich intends to make good money.
By analyzing “Dead Souls,” you can understand what Nozdryov is like. This is a person who really loves all kinds of stories. He tells them everywhere he goes. After a hearty lunch, Chichikov decides to bargain. However, Pavel Ivanovich can neither beg for dead souls nor buy them. Nozdryov sets his own conditions, which consist of an exchange or purchase in addition to something. The landowner even suggests using dead souls as bets in the game.
Serious disagreements arise between Chichikov and Nozdrev, and they postpone the conversation until the morning. The next day the men agreed to play checkers. However, Nozdryov tried to deceive his opponent, which was noticed by Chichikov. In addition, it turned out that the landowner was on trial. And Chichikov had no choice but to run when he saw the police captain.
Chapter Five. Sobakevich
Sobakevich continues the images of landowners in Dead Souls. It is to him that Chichikov comes to him after Nozdryov. The estate he visited was a match for its owner. Just as strong. The owner treats the guest to dinner, talking during the meal about city officials, calling them all swindlers.
Chichikov talks about his plans. They did not frighten Sobakevich at all, and the men quickly moved on to concluding the deal. However, here troubles began for Chichikov. Sobakevich began to bargain, talking about the most best qualities already deceased peasants. However, Chichikov does not need such characteristics, and he insists on his own. And here Sobakevich begins to hint at the illegality of such a deal, threatening to tell anyone about it. Chichikov had to agree to the price offered by the landowner. They sign the document, still fearing a trick from each other.
There are lyrical digressions in “Dead Souls” in the fifth chapter. The author ends the story about Chichikov’s visit to Sobakevich with discussions about the Russian language. Gogol emphasizes the diversity, strength and richness of the Russian language. Here he points out the peculiarity of our people to give everyone nicknames associated with various offenses or the course of circumstances. They do not leave their owner until his death.
Chapter six. Plyushkin
A very interesting hero is Plyushkin. "Dead Souls" shows him as a very greedy person. The landowner does not even throw away his old sole that has fallen off his boot and carries it into the already quite decent pile of similar rubbish.
However Plyushkin dead sells souls very quickly and without haggling. Pavel Ivanovich is very happy about this and refuses the tea with crackers offered by the owner.
Chapter seven. Deal
Having achieved his initial goal, Chichikov is sent to the civil chamber to finally resolve the issue. Manilov and Sobakevich had already arrived in the city. The chairman agrees to become the attorney for Plyushkin and all other sellers. The deal took place, and champagne was opened for the health of the new landowner.
Chapter eight. Gossip. Ball
The city began to discuss Chichikov. Many decided that he was a millionaire. Girls began to go crazy for him and send love messages. Once at the governor's ball, he literally finds himself in the arms of the ladies. However, his attention is attracted by a sixteen-year-old blonde. At this time, Nozdryov comes to the ball, loudly inquiring about the purchase of dead souls. Chichikov had to leave in complete confusion and sadness.
Chapter Nine. Profit or love?
At this time, the landowner Korobochka arrived in the city. She decided to clarify whether she had made a mistake with the cost of dead souls. The news about the amazing purchase and sale becomes the property of the city residents. People believe that dead souls are a cover for Chichikov, but in fact he dreams of taking away the blonde he likes, who is the daughter of the governor.
Chapter ten. Versions
The city literally came to life. News appears one after another. They talk about the appointment of a new governor, the presence of supporting papers about false banknotes, about an insidious robber who escaped from the police, etc. Many versions arise, and they all relate to Chichikov’s personality. The excitement of people negatively affects the prosecutor. He dies from the blow.
Chapter Eleven. Purpose of the event
Chichikov does not know what the city is talking about about him. He goes to the governor, but he is not received there. In addition, the people he meets on the way shy away from the official in different directions. Everything becomes clear after Nozdryov arrives at the hotel. The landowner tries to convince Chichikov that he tried to help him kidnap the governor’s daughter.
And here Gogol decides to talk about his hero and why Chichikov buys dead souls. The author tells the reader about his childhood and schooling, where Pavel Ivanovich already showed the ingenuity given to him by nature. Gogol also talks about Chichikov’s relationships with his comrades and teachers, about his service and work in the commission located in a government building, as well as about his transfer to serve in customs.
The analysis of “Dead Souls” clearly indicates the inclinations of the protagonist, which he used to complete his deal described in the work. After all, in all his places of work, Pavel Ivanovich managed to make a lot of money by concluding fake contracts and conspiracies. In addition, he did not disdain working with smuggling. In order to avoid criminal punishment, Chichikov resigned. Having switched to work as an attorney, he immediately formed an insidious plan in his head. Buy Chichikov is dead He wanted to pawn their souls, as if they were alive, in the treasury in order to receive money. Next in his plans was the purchase of a village in order to provide for future offspring.
In part, Gogol justifies his hero. He considers him the owner, who with his mind has built such an interesting chain of transactions.
Images of landowners
These heroes of Dead Souls are especially vividly presented in five chapters. Moreover, each of them is dedicated to only one landowner. There is a certain pattern in the placement of chapters. The images of the landowners of “Dead Souls” are arranged in them according to the degree of their degradation. Let's remember who was the first of them? Manilov. “Dead Souls” describes this landowner as a lazy and dreamy, sentimental and practically unadapted person to life. This is confirmed by many details, for example, a farm that has fallen into disrepair and a house standing in the south, open to all winds. The author, using amazing artistic power words, shows his reader the deadness of Manilov and his worthlessness life path. After all, behind external attractiveness there is a spiritual emptiness.
What else vivid images created in the work “Dead Souls”? The heroic landowners in the image of Korobochka are people who are focused only on their farm. It is not without reason that at the end of the third chapter the author draws an analogy between this landowner and all aristocratic ladies. The box is distrustful and stingy, superstitious and stubborn. In addition, she is narrow-minded, petty and narrow-minded.
Next in terms of degree of degradation comes Nozdryov. Like many other landowners, he does not change with age, not even trying to develop internally. The image of Nozdryov represents a portrait of a reveler and a braggart, a drunkard and a cheater. This landowner is passionate and energetic, but all his positive traits are wasted. The image of Nozdryov is as typical as that of previous landowners. And this is emphasized by the author in his statements.
Describing Sobakevich, Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol resorts to comparing him with a bear. In addition to clumsiness, the author describes his parodically inverted heroic power, earthiness and rudeness.
But the extreme degree of degradation is described by Gogol in the image of the richest landowner in the province - Plyushkin. During his biography, this man went from a thrifty owner to a half-crazy miser. And it was not social conditions that led him to this state. Plyushkin's moral decline provoked loneliness.
Thus, all landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” are united by such traits as idleness and inhumanity, as well as spiritual emptiness. And he contrasts this world of truly “dead souls” with faith in the inexhaustible potential of the “mysterious” Russian people. It is not for nothing that at the end of the work the image of an endless road along which a trio of birds rushes appears. And in this movement the writer’s confidence in the possibility of the spiritual transformation of humanity and in the great destiny of Russia is manifested.
Many people associate the poem “Dead Souls” with mysticism, and for good reason. Gogol was the first Russian writer to combine the supernatural with reality. The second volume of Dead Souls, the reasons for the burning of which are still debated to this day, has become synonymous with an unrealized plan. The first volume is a guide to the life of the Russian nobility in the 1830s, an encyclopedia of landowner and bureaucratic sins. Memorable images, lyrical digressions filled with deep thoughts, subtle satire - all this, coupled with the artistic talent of the author, not only helps to understand the specific features of the era, but also brings true reading pleasure.
When it comes to Russian literature of the first half of the nineteenth century, two writers most often come to mind: Pushkin and Gogol. But not everyone, however, knows the following interesting fact: it was Pushkin who suggested to his friend the themes of “The Inspector General” and “Dead Souls”. The poet himself derived his idea from the story of fugitive peasants who did not have documents, who took the names of the dead and thus did not allow a single death to be registered in the city of Bendery.
Having picked up the idea, Gogol began to develop a general plan. On October 7, 1835, he writes to Pushkin (this is when the documented history of the creation of the work begins):
I started writing Dead Souls. The plot stretches out into a long novel and, it seems, will be very funny.
Gogol’s idea, according to one version, was to create a poem modeled after “ Divine Comedy» Dante Alighieri. The first volume is hell. The second is purgatory. The third is heaven. We can only guess whether this was really the author's plan, and also why Gogol did not finish the poem. There are two versions on this matter:
- N.V. Gogol was a believer and listened to all the recommendations of his confessor (the priest who accepted his confessions and advised him). It was his confessor who ordered him to burn “Dead Souls” entirely, since he saw in them something ungodly and unworthy of a Christian. But the first volume had already been distributed so widely that it was impossible to destroy all copies. But the second one was very vulnerable at the preparation stage and fell victim to the author.
- The writer created the first volume with enthusiasm and was pleased with it, but the second volume was artificial and strained, because it corresponded to Dante's concept. If hell in Russia was depicted without difficulty, then heaven and purgatory did not correspond to reality and could not be depicted without a stretch. Gogol did not want to betray himself and try to do something that was too far from the truth and alien to him.
Genre, direction
The main question is why the creation “Dead Souls” is called a poem. The answer is simple: Gogol himself defined the genre this way (obviously, in terms of structure, language and number of characters, this is an epic work, or more precisely, a novel). Perhaps he thus emphasized the genre's originality: the equality of the epic (the actual description of Chichikov's journey, way of life, characters) and lyrical (the author's reflections) principles. According to a less common version, Gogol made a reference to Pushkin, or set his work in contrast to “Eugene Onegin”, which, on the contrary, is called a novel, although it has all the signs of a poem.
It’s easier to understand the literary direction. It is obvious that the writer resorts to realism. This is indicated by a fairly scrupulous description of the noble way of life, especially estates and landowners. The choice of direction is explained by the demiurgic task that Gogol chose for himself. In one work, he undertook to describe all of Russia, to bring to the surface all the bureaucratic dirt, all the chaos going on both in the country and within each civil servant. Other trends simply do not have the necessary tools; Gogol's realism does not get along with, say, romanticism.
Meaning of the name
The title used is probably the most famous oxymoron in the Russian language. The very concept of the soul includes the concept of immortality and dynamism.
It is obvious that dead souls are the subject around which Chichikov’s machinations and, accordingly, all the events of the poem are built. But the poem is named not only and not so much to denote an extraordinary product, but because of the landowners who willingly sell or even donate souls. They themselves are dead, but not physically, but spiritually. It is these people, according to Gogol, who make up the contingent of hell; it is them (if you believe the hypothesis about borrowing the composition from Dante) that heaven awaits after the atonement of sins. Only in the third volume could they become “alive”.
Composition
The main feature of the composition “Dead Souls” is the ring dynamics. Chichikov enters the city of NN, makes a journey within it, during which he makes the necessary acquaintances and carries out his planned scam, looks at the ball, after which he leaves - the circle closes.
In addition, acquaintances with landowners occur in descending order: from the least “dead soul”, Manilov, to Plyushkin, mired in debts and problems. The story of Captain Kopeikin, woven by the author into the tenth chapter as the story of one of the employees, is intended to show the mutual influence of man and the state. It is noteworthy that Chichikov’s biography is described in the last chapter, after his chaise left the city.
The essence
The main character, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, comes to the provincial town of NN with the goal of buying up dead souls from landowners (supposedly for withdrawal, to the Kherson province, where lands were distributed for free), pawning them on the board of trustees and receiving two hundred rubles for each. In a word, he passionately wanted to get rich and did not hesitate to use any methods. Upon arrival, he immediately meets government officials and charms them with his manners. No one suspects what a brilliant but dishonest idea lies at the heart of all his activities.
At first, everything went smoothly, the landowners were happy to meet the hero, sold or even gave him souls, and invited him to visit them again. However, the ball that Chichikov attends before leaving nearly deprived him of his reputation and nearly derailed his scheme. Rumors and gossip about his fraud begin to spread, but the swindler manages to leave the city.
The main characters and their characteristics
Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov- "middle-class gentleman." He really is an average character in everything: “not handsome, but not bad-looking, neither too fat nor too thin; I can’t say that I’m old, but I can’t say that I’m too young.” From the eleventh chapter we learn that his character was largely determined by his father’s instructions to obey teachers and superiors in everything, and also to save a penny. Toadying, cloying in communication, hypocrisy - all these are means for fulfilling the father's decree. In addition, the hero has a sharp mind, he is characterized by cunning and dexterity, without which the idea with dead souls could not have been realized (and perhaps would not have occurred to him). You can learn more about the hero from the Many-Wise Litrecon.
The images of landowners are described in accordance with the chronology of their appearance in the work.
- Manilov- the first landowner to meet Chichikov and stand on a par with him in terms of sweetness and vulgar mannerisms. But the motives for Chichikov’s behavior are clearly defined, while Manilov is gentle in himself. Soft and dreamy. If these qualities were supported by activity, his character could be classified as positive. However, everything Manilov lives by is limited to demagoguery and having his head in the clouds. Manilov - from the word beckons. It’s easy to get bogged down in him and his estate and lose your bearings. However, Chichikov, faithful to his task, receives souls and continues on his way...
- A box he meets by chance when he cannot find his way. She gives him a place to stay for the night. Like Chichikov, Korobochka strives to increase her wealth, but she lacks mental acuity and is “club-headed.” Her last name symbolizes a state of detachment from the outside world, limitation; she closed herself in her estate as if in a box, trying to see benefit in every insignificant detail. You can find out more about this image in.
- Nozdryov– a real playmaker. This is indicated at least by the fact that Chichikov’s meeting with him took place in a tavern. Nozdryov whiles away his days in such establishments. He is not involved in the affairs of his estate, but he drinks a lot and squanders money at cards. Self-centered, vain. He tries in every possible way to arouse interest in his person by telling fables that he himself composed. However, we should give him his due - he is the only landowner who refused to sell his soul to Chichikov.
- Sobakevich- a bear in human form. Also clumsy, he also sleeps a lot and eats even more. Food is the main joy in his life. And after eating - sleep. He feeds Chichikov almost to death, which is reminiscent of Manilov, who also seems to “entangle the wanderer,” detaining him on the estate. However, Sobakevich is amazingly pragmatic. Everything in his household is of good quality, but without excessive pretentiousness. He bargains with the main character for a long time, and ends up selling many souls at a favorable price.
- Plyushkin- “a hole in humanity.” He abandoned the affairs of the estate, does not look after his own appearance so much so that at the first meeting it is difficult to determine his gender. His passion for hoarding is the apotheosis of stinginess. His estate brings only losses, there is barely enough food to survive (it spoils and rots in the barns), the peasants die. An ideal situation for Chichikov, who buys many souls for next to nothing. It is worth noting the connection between these characters. Only their biographies are given by the author; nothing is said about the past of the others. This may serve as a basis for the hypothesis that they could go through purgatory (the second volume) and go to heaven in the third. The Many-wise Litrekon wrote more about this image in a small one.
- Captain Kopeikin- great veteran Patriotic War. He lost an arm and a leg, and therefore had to stop working. He went to St. Petersburg to beg for benefits, however, having received nothing, he returned to his hometown and, according to rumors, became a robber. This character embodied the image of an oppressed people rejected by the state. It is noteworthy that the edition of the fragment, permitted by the censorship of that time, carries a diametrically opposite message: the state, unable to do so, helps the veteran, and he, despite this, goes against him. You can learn about the role and significance of this story from.
- Three bird, appearing at the very end of the poem, embodies Rus' and is also one of the characters. Where is she going? Chichikov's journey is the historical path of the country. His main problem is the lack of a home. He can't come anywhere. Odysseus had Ithaca, but Chichikov only has a chaise, moving in an unknown direction. Russia, according to the author, is also in search of its place in the world and, of course, will find it.
- Author's image, revealed through lyrical digressions, brings a pinch of sanity into the swamp of sin and vice. He sarcastically describes his heroes and reflects on their destinies, drawing funny parallels. His image combines cynicism and hope, a critical mind and faith in the future. One of the most famous quotes written by Gogol on his own behalf is “What Russian doesn’t like driving fast?” - is familiar even to those who have not read the poem.
- The system of images introduced by Gogol still finds correspondence in reality. We meet walking Nozdryovs, sleepy Manilovs, enterprising opportunists like Chichikov. But Russia is still moving in an unclear direction, still looking for its “home”.
Topics and issues
- The main theme raised in the poem is Historical path of Russia(in a broader sense - the theme of the road). The author tries to comprehend the imperfection of the bureaucratic apparatus that led to the current state of affairs. After the publication of Gogol’s work, they criticized him for his lack of patriotism and for putting Russia in a bad light. He foresaw this and gave an answer to the skeptics in one of the digressions (the beginning of the seventh chapter), where he compared the fate of a writer who glorifies the great, the sublime, with the fate of the one who dared to “call out everything that is every minute before the eyes and which indifferent eyes do not see, all the terrible, stunning mud of little things that entangle our lives, the whole depth of cold, fragmented, everyday characters with which our earthly, sometimes bitter and boring path is teeming, and with the strong force of an inexorable chisel, who dared to expose them prominently and brightly to the eyes of the people!” A true patriot is not one who does not notice and does not show the shortcomings of his homeland, but one who plunges headlong into them, explores them, describes them in order to eradicate them.
- The theme of the relationship between the people and the authorities represented by the antithesis of landowners - peasants. The latter represent Gogol's moral ideal. Despite the fact that these people did not receive a good upbringing and education, it is in them that one sees a glimpse of a real, living feeling. It is their unbridled energy that can transform today's Russia. They are oppressed, but active, while the landowners have complete freedom, but sit with their hands folded - this is exactly what Gogol ridicules.
- The phenomenon of the Russian soul is also a topic of thought for the author. Despite all the problems raised in the book, our people are fraught with real wealth of talent and character. The Russian soul is visible even in morally inferior landowners: Korobochka is caring and hospitable, Manilov is kind-hearted and open, Sobakevich is economical and businesslike, Nozdryov is cheerful and full of energy. Even Plyushkin is transformed when he remembers friendship. This means that Russian people are unique by nature, and even in the worst of them there are virtues and dormant abilities for creation.
- Family theme also interested the writer. The inferiority and coldness of the Chichikov family gave rise to vices in him, a talented young man. Plyushkin became a distrustful and malicious miser when he lost his support - his wife. The role of the family in the poem is central to the moral purification of dead souls.
The main problem of the work is the problem of the “death of the Russian soul”. The gallery of landowners in the first volume clearly demonstrates this phenomenon. Leo Tolstoy, in his novel Anna Karenina, came up with the following formula, which later began to be applied to many areas of life: “All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” She surprisingly accurately notices the peculiarity of Gogol's characters. Although he shows us only one positive landowner (Kostanjoglo from the second volume), and we cannot verify the first part of the formula, the second part is confirmed. The souls of all the characters in the first volume are dead, but in different ways.
Ultimately, it is the totality of characters, insignificant for society individually, that becomes the cause of a social and moral crisis. It turns out that every somewhat influential person, through his activities, can change the state of things in the city - Gogol comes to this conclusion.
Bribery and embezzlement, sycophancy, ignorance are components of the problem of “death of the soul.” It is interesting that all these phenomena were called “Chichikovism”, which was used by our ancestors for a long time.
main idea
The main idea of the poem lies in the seventh chapter, in the passage where Chichikov “revives” the souls he bought and fantasizes about what all these people could be like. “Were you a master, or just a peasant, and what kind of death killed you?” - the hero asks. He thinks about the fate of those whom he previously considered goods. This is the first glimpse of his soul, the first important question. Here the hypothesis about the possibility of purifying Chichikov’s soul begins to seem plausible. If this is so, then every dead soul is capable of moral rebirth. The author believed in a happy and great future for Russia and connected it with the moral resurrection of its people.
In addition, Gogol shows the liveliness, spiritual strength, and purity of each peasant character. “Stepan is a traffic jam, that’s the hero who would be fit for the guard!”, “Popov, a yard man, should be literate.” He does not forget to pay tribute to the workers and peasants, although the subject of his coverage is Chichikov’s machinations, his interaction with the rotten bureaucracy. The point of these descriptions is not so much to show as to ridicule and condemn dead souls in order to raise the conscious reader to a new height of understanding and help him set the country on the right course.
What does it teach?
Everyone will draw their own conclusion after reading this book. Someone will object to Gogol: the problems of corruption and fraud are characteristic to one degree or another for any country; they cannot be eliminated completely. Someone will agree with him and become convinced that the soul is the only thing that any person should care about.
If it were necessary to single out a single morality, it could look like this: a person, no matter who he is, cannot live a full life and be happy if he does not use energy for creative purposes, while enriching himself illegally. What’s interesting is that even vigorous activity coupled with illegal methods cannot make a person happy. As an example, Chichikov is forced to hide the true motives of his behavior and fear for the disclosure of his plans.
Artistic details and language
Grotesque is Gogol's favorite technique. The famous Soviet literary critic Boris Eikhenbaum in his article “How Gogol’s Overcoat was Made” showed that his genius is manifested not so much in the content of his works, but in their form. The same can be said about “Dead Souls”. Playing with different stylistic registers - pathetic, ironic, sentimental - Gogol creates a real comedy. Grotesqueness is the discrepancy between the seriousness and importance of the chosen topic and the language used. The writer was guided by the principle “the longer we look at a funny work, the sadder it seems.” With a satirical style, he lured the reader, forcing him to return to the text and see the terrible truth under the humor.
A striking example of satire is the use of speaking surnames. Some of them are described in the section on characteristics of landowners. The meaning of some (Disrespect-Trough, You-Won’t-Reach, Sparrow) can be debated. Historicisms (chaise, goats, irradiation) make the details difficult for the modern reader to understand.
Meaning, originality and features
“Dead Souls” occupy a central place in Gogol’s work. Despite the fact that “we all came out of Gogol’s “Overcoat”” (according to Eugene de Vogüe), the poem about Chichikov also needs careful study.
There are many interpretations of the text. The most popular is continuity with the Divine Comedy. Poet, writer and literary critic Dmitry Bykov believes that Gogol was guided by Homer's Odyssey. He draws the following parallels: Manilov - Sirens, Korobochka - Circe, Sobakevich - Polyphemus, Nozdryov - Aeolus, Plyushkin - Scylla and Charybdis, Chichikov - Odysseus.
The poem is interesting for the presence of many features available only to professional researchers and writers. For example, at the beginning of the first chapter we read: “His entry made absolutely no noise in the city and was not accompanied by anything special; only two Russian men standing at the door of the tavern opposite the hotel made some comments...” Why clarify that the men are Russian, if it is clear that the action takes place in Russia? This is a characteristic of the poem technique of the “figure of fiction”, when something (often a lot) is said, but nothing is defined. We see the same thing in the description of the “average” Chichikov.
Another example is the awakening of the hero at Korobochka as a result of a fly flying into his nose. Mukha and Chichikov actually play similar roles - they awaken from sleep. The first awakens the hero himself, while Chichikov, with his arrival, awakens the dead city and its inhabitants.
Criticism
Herzen wrote “Dead souls shook Russia.” Pushkin exclaimed: “God, how sad our Russia is!” Belinsky put the work above everything that was in Russian literature, but complained about the extremely pompous lyricism, which was not combined with the theme and message (obviously, he perceived only the content, discarding the ingenious language game). O.I. Senkovsky believed that “Dead Souls” was a humorous comparison with all the great epics.
There were many statements from critics and amateurs about the poem, they are all different, but one thing is certain: the work caused a huge resonance in society, forced us to look deeper at the world and ask serious questions. A creation can hardly be called great if it pleases and pleases everyone. Greatness comes later, in heated debate and research. Time must pass before people can appreciate the works of geniuses, which undoubtedly includes Nikolai Gogol.
