The main idea of the work is dead souls. The meaning of the poem “Dead Souls” by Gogol: the essence, idea and purpose of the work
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is one of the most mysterious writers 19th century. His life and work are full of mysticism and secrets. Our article will help you prepare qualitatively for a literature lesson, for the Unified State Exam, test tasks, creative works according to the poem. When analyzing Gogol’s work “Dead Souls” in grade 9, it is important to rely on additional material to get acquainted with the history of creation, issues, and understand what artistic means the author uses. IN " Dead souls ah” analysis is specific due to its substantive scope and compositional features works.
Brief Analysis
Year of writing– 1835 -1842 The first volume was published in 1842.
History of creation– the idea for the plot was suggested to Gogol by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. The author worked on the poem for about 17 years.
Subject- the morals and life of landowners in Rus' in the 30s of the 19th century, a gallery of human vices.
Composition– 11 chapters of the first volume, united by the image of the main character – Chichikov. Several chapters of the second volume that survived and were found and published.
Direction– realism. The poem also has romantic features, but they are secondary.
History of creation
Nikolai Vasilyevich wrote his immortal brainchild for about 17 years. He considered this work the most important mission in his life. The history of the creation of “Dead Souls” is full of gaps and mysteries, as well as mystical coincidences. While working on the work, the author fell seriously ill, being on the verge of death, he suddenly miraculously healed. Gogol took this fact as a sign from above, which gave him the chance to complete his main work.
The idea of “Dead Souls” and the very fact of their existence as social phenomenon Pushkin suggested to Gogol. It was Alexander Sergeevich, according to the author, who gave him the idea to write a large-scale work capable of revealing the entire essence of the Russian soul. The poem was conceived as a work in three volumes. The first volume (published in 1842) was conceived as a collection of human vices, the second gave the characters the opportunity to realize their mistakes, and in the third volume they change and find the path to the right life.
While in work, the work was edited by the author many times, its main idea, characters, plot changed, but only the essence was preserved: the problems and plan of the work. Gogol finished the second volume of “Dead Souls” shortly before his death, but according to some information, he himself destroyed this book. According to other sources, it was given by the author to Tolstoy or one of his close friends, and then lost. There is an opinion that this manuscript is still kept by the descendants of high society around Gogol and will someday be found. The author did not have time to write the third volume, but there is information about its intended content from reliable sources, the future book, its idea and general characteristics, were discussed in literary circles.
Subject
Meaning of the name“Dead Souls” is twofold: this phenomenon itself - the sale of dead serf souls, rewriting them and transferring them to another owner and the image of people like Plyushkin, Manilov, Sobakevich - their souls are dead, the heroes are deeply unspiritual, vulgar and immoral.
main topic“Dead Souls” - the vices and morals of society, the life of a Russian person in the 1830s of the 19th century. The problems that the author raises in the poem are as old as the world, but they are shown and revealed in the way that is characteristic of a researcher of human characters and souls: subtly and on a large scale.
Main character- Chichikov buys from landowners long-dead but still registered serfs, whom he needs only on paper. Thus, he plans to get rich by receiving payment for them from the board of guardians. Chichikov's interaction and collaboration with scammers and charlatans like himself becomes the central theme of the poem. The desire to get rich by everyone possible ways characteristic not only of Chichikov, but also of many of the heroes of the poem - this is the disease of the century. What Gogol’s poem teaches is between the lines of the book - Russian people are characterized by adventurism and a craving for “easy bread.”
The conclusion is clear: the most correct way is to live according to the laws, in harmony with conscience and heart.
Composition
The poem consists of the complete first volume and several surviving chapters of the second volume. The composition is subordinated main goal- reveal the picture of Russian life, contemporary author, create a gallery of typical characters. The poem consists of 11 chapters, is rich lyrical digressions, philosophical reasoning and the most wonderful descriptions of nature.
All this breaks through the main plot from time to time and gives the work a unique lyricism. The work ends with a colorful lyrical reflection on the future of Russia, its strength and power.
The book was originally conceived as a satirical work, this influenced the overall composition. In the first chapter, the author introduces the reader to the residents of the city, to the main character - Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. From the second to the sixth chapters, the author gives a portrait of the landowners, their unique way of life, a kaleidoscope of quirks and morals. The next four chapters describe the life of bureaucrats: bribery, arbitrariness and tyranny, gossip, the way of life of a typical Russian city.
Main characters
Genre
To determine the genre of “Dead Souls”, it is necessary to turn to history. Gogol himself defined it as a “poem,” although the structure and scale of the narrative are close to the story and novel. Prose work called a poem due to its lyricism: large quantity lyrical digressions, remarks and comments of the author. It is also worth considering that Gogol drew a parallel between his brainchild and Pushkin’s poem “Eugene Onegin”: the latter is considered a novel in verse, and “Dead Souls” is, on the contrary, a poem in prose.
The author emphasizes the equivalence of the epic and the lyrical in his work. Criticism has a different opinion about the genre features of the poem. For example, V. G. Belinsky called the work a novel, and this opinion is usually taken into account, since it is completely justified. But according to tradition, Gogol’s work is called a poem.
The poem “Dead Souls” was conceived by Gogol as a grandiose panorama of Russian society with all its features and paradoxes. Central problem works - spiritual death and rebirth of representatives of the main Russian estates 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.
The third volume of 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, in the city of NN a very interesting character, who stands out greatly from the background of 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 had suddenly appeared in town.
Pavel Ivanovich goes out of town to pay visits to noble landowners: Manilov, Korobochka, Sobakevich, Nozdryov and Plyushkin. He is kind 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 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
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 such a warehouse let the economy take its course and do not do anything 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 it worked Russian society with its serf system. 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" - classic, which, like no other, is 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.
“Dead Souls” is a poem for the ages. The plasticity of the depicted reality, the comic nature of situations and the artistic skill of N.V. Gogol paints an image of Russia not only of the past, but also of the future. Grotesque satirical reality in harmony with patriotic notes create an unforgettable melody of life that sounds through the centuries.
Collegiate adviser Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov goes to distant provinces to buy serfs. However, he is not interested in people, but only in the names of the dead. This is necessary to submit the list to the board of trustees, which “promises” a lot of money. For a nobleman with so many peasants, all doors were open. To implement his plans, he pays visits to landowners and officials of the city of NN. They all reveal their selfish nature, so the hero manages to get what he wants. He is also planning a profitable marriage. However, the result is disastrous: the hero is forced to flee, as his plans become publicly known thanks to the landowner Korobochka.
History of creation
N.V. Gogol believed A.S. Pushkin as his teacher, who “gave” the grateful student a story about Chichikov’s adventures. The poet was sure that only Nikolai Vasilyevich, who has a unique talent from God, could realize this “idea”.
The writer loved Italy and Rome. In the land of the great Dante, he began work on a book suggesting a three-part composition in 1835. The poem was supposed to be similar to Dante's Divine Comedy, depicting the hero's descent into hell, his wanderings in purgatory and the resurrection of his soul in heaven.
The creative process continued for six years. The idea of a grandiose painting depicting not only “all Rus'” present, but also the future, revealed “ untold riches Russian spirit." In February 1837, Pushkin died, whose “sacred testament” for Gogol became “Dead Souls”: “Not a single line was written without me imagining him before me.” The first volume was completed in the summer of 1841, but did not immediately find its reader. The censorship was outraged by “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin”, and the title led to bewilderment. I had to make concessions by starting the title with the intriguing phrase “The Adventures of Chichikov.” Therefore, the book was published only in 1842.
After some time, Gogol writes the second volume, but, dissatisfied with the result, burns it.
Meaning of the name
The title of the work causes conflicting interpretations. The oxymoron technique used gives rise to numerous questions to which you want to get answers as quickly as possible. The title is symbolic and ambiguous, so the “secret” is not revealed to everyone.
In the literal sense, “dead souls” are representatives of the common people who have passed into another world, but are still listed as their masters. The concept is gradually being rethought. The “form” seems to “come to life”: real serfs, with their habits and shortcomings, appear before the reader’s gaze.
Characteristics of the main characters
- Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov is a “mediocre gentleman.” Somewhat cloying manners in dealing with people are not without sophistication. Well-mannered, neat and delicate. “Not handsome, but not bad-looking, not... fat, nor.... thin..." Calculating and careful. He collects unnecessary trinkets in his little chest: maybe it will come in handy! Seeks profit in everything. The generation of the worst sides of an enterprising and energetic person of a new type, opposed to landowners and officials. We wrote about him in more detail in the essay "".
- Manilov - “knight of the void”. A blond "sweet" talker with "blue eyes." He covers up the poverty of thought and avoidance of real difficulties with a beautiful phrase. He lacks living aspirations and any interests. His faithful companions are fruitless fantasy and thoughtless chatter.
- The box is “club-headed”. A vulgar, stupid, stingy and tight-fisted nature. She fenced herself off from everything around her, withdrawing into her estate - the “box”. She turned into a stupid and greedy woman. Limited, stubborn and unspiritual.
- Nozdryov is a “historical person”. He can easily lie whatever he wants and deceive anyone. Empty, absurd. He thinks of himself as broad-minded. However, his actions expose a careless, chaotic, weak-willed and at the same time arrogant, shameless “tyrant.” Record holder for getting into tricky and ridiculous situations.
- Sobakevich is “a patriot of the Russian stomach.” Outwardly it resembles a bear: clumsy and irrepressible. Completely incapable of understanding the most basic things. A special type of “storage device” that can quickly adapt to the new requirements of our time. He is not interested in anything except running a household.
- we described in the essay of the same name. Plyushkin - “a hole in humanity.” A creature of unknown gender. Bright example moral failure .
- Thorns on the path of development of the Motherland are the main problem in the poem “Dead Souls” that the author was worried about. These include bribery and embezzlement of officials, infantilism and inactivity of the nobility, ignorance and poverty of the peasants. The writer sought to make his contribution to the prosperity of Russia, condemning and ridiculing vices, educating new generations of people. For example, Gogol despised doxology as a cover for the emptiness and idleness of existence. The life of a citizen should be useful to society, but most of the characters in the poem are downright harmful.
- Moral problems. He views the lack of moral standards among representatives of the ruling class as the result of their ugly passion for hoarding. The landowners are ready to shake the soul out of the peasant for the sake of profit. Also, the problem of selfishness comes to the fore: the nobles, like officials, think only about their own interests, the homeland for them is an empty weightless word. High society does not care about the common people, they simply use them for their own purposes.
- The crisis of humanism. People are sold like animals, lost at cards like things, pawned like jewelry. Slavery is legal and is not considered immoral or unnatural. Gogol illuminated the problem of serfdom in Russia globally, showing both sides of the coin: the slave mentality inherent in the serf, and the tyranny of the owner, confident in his superiority. All these are the consequences of tyranny that permeates relationships in all levels of society. It corrupts people and ruins the country.
- The author’s humanism is manifested in his attention to the “little man”, critical exposure of vices government system. Political problems Gogol didn’t even try to get around. He described a bureaucracy that functioned only on the basis of bribery, nepotism, embezzlement and hypocrisy.
- Gogol's characters are characterized by the problem of ignorance and moral blindness. Because of it, they do not see their moral squalor and are not able to independently get out of the quagmire of vulgarity that drags them down.
which has completely lost its natural appearance. The only character (except Chichikov) who has a biography that “reflects” the gradual process of personality degradation. A complete nonentity. Plyushkin’s manic hoarding “pours out” into “cosmic” proportions. And the more this passion takes possession of him, the less of a person remains in him. We analyzed his image in detail in the essay
Genre and composition Initially, the work began as an adventurous picaresque novel. But the breadth of the events described and the historical truthfulness, as if “compressed” together, gave rise to “talking” about the realistic method. Making precise remarks, inserting philosophical arguments, addressing different generations
The composition is circular: the chaise, which entered the city of NN at the beginning of the story, leaves it after all the vicissitudes that happened to the hero. Episodes are woven into this “ring”, without which the integrity of the poem is violated. The first chapter provides a description of the provincial city of NN and local officials. From the second to the sixth chapters, the author introduces readers to the landowner estates of Manilov, Korobochka, Nozdryov, Sobakevich and Plyushkin. The seventh - tenth chapters are a satirical depiction of officials, the execution of completed transactions. The string of events listed above ends with a ball, where Nozdryov “narrates” about Chichikov’s scam. The reaction of society to his statement is unambiguous - gossip, which, like a snowball, is overgrown with fables that have found refraction, including in the short story (“The Tale of Captain Kopeikin”) and the parable (about Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich). The introduction of these episodes allows us to emphasize that the fate of the fatherland directly depends on the people living in it. You cannot look indifferently at the disgrace happening around you. Certain forms of protest are maturing in the country. The eleventh chapter is a biography of the hero who forms the plot, explaining what motivated him when committing this or that act.
The connecting compositional thread is the image of the road (you can learn more about this by reading the essay “ » ), symbolizing the path that the state takes in its development “under the modest name of Rus'.”
Why does Chichikov need dead souls?
Chichikov is not just cunning, but also pragmatic. His sophisticated mind is ready to “make candy” out of nothing. Not having sufficient capital, he, being a good psychologist, having gone through a good life school, mastering the art of “flattering everyone” and fulfilling his father’s behest to “save a penny,” starts a great speculation. It consists of a simple deception of “those in power” in order to “warm their hands”, in other words, to gain a huge amount of money, thereby providing for themselves and their future family, which Pavel Ivanovich dreamed of.
Names of those bought for next to nothing dead peasants were entered into a document that Chichikov could take to the treasury chamber under the guise of collateral in order to obtain a loan. He would have pawned the serfs like a brooch in a pawnshop, and could have re-mortgaged them all his life, since none of the officials checked the physical condition of the people. For this money, the businessman would have bought real workers and an estate, and would have lived in grand style, enjoying the favor of the nobles, because the nobles measured the wealth of the landowner in the number of souls (peasants were then called “souls” in noble slang). In addition, Gogol’s hero hoped to gain trust in society and profitably marry a rich heiress.
main idea
Hymn to the homeland and people, distinguishing feature whose hard work sounds on the pages of the poem. The masters of golden hands became famous for their inventions and their creativity. The Russian man is always “rich in invention.” But there are also those citizens who hinder the development of the country. These are vicious officials, ignorant and inactive landowners and swindlers like Chichikov. For their own good, the good of Russia and the world, they must take the path of correction, realizing the ugliness of their inner world. To do this, Gogol mercilessly ridicules them throughout the entire first volume, but in subsequent parts of the work the author intended to show the resurrection of the spirit of these people using the example of the main character. Perhaps he felt the falseness of the subsequent chapters, lost faith that his dream was feasible, so he burned it along with the second part of “Dead Souls.”
Nevertheless, the author showed that the main wealth of the country is the broad soul of the people. It is no coincidence that this word is included in the title. The writer believed that the revival of Russia would begin with the revival human souls, pure, untainted by any sins, selfless. Not just those who believe in the free future of the country, but those who make a lot of effort on this fast road to happiness. “Rus, where are you going?” This question runs like a refrain throughout the book and emphasizes the main thing: the country must live in constant movement towards the best, advanced, progressive. Only on this path “do other peoples and states give her the way.” We wrote a separate essay about Russia’s path: ?
Why did Gogol burn the second volume of Dead Souls?
At some point, the thought of the messiah begins to dominate in the writer’s mind, allowing him to “foresee” the revival of Chichikov and even Plyushkin. Gogol hopes to reverse the progressive “transformation” of a person into a “dead man”. But, faced with reality, the author experiences deep disappointment: the heroes and their destinies emerge from the pen as far-fetched and lifeless. Did not work out. The impending crisis in worldview was the reason for the destruction of the second book.
In the surviving excerpts from the second volume, it is clearly visible that the writer portrays Chichikov not in the process of repentance, but in flight towards the abyss. He still succeeds in adventures, dresses in a devilish red tailcoat and breaks the law. His revelation does not bode well, because in his reaction the reader will not see a sudden insight or a hint of shame. He doesn’t even believe in the possibility of such fragments ever existing. Gogol did not want to sacrifice artistic truth even for the sake of realizing his own plan.
Issues
What is unique about the work?
Adventurousness, realistic reality, the feeling of the presence of the irrational, philosophical reasoning about earthly good - all this is closely intertwined, creating an “encyclopedic” picture of the first half of the 19th century centuries.
Gogol achieves this by using various techniques of satire, humor, visual means, numerous details, richness vocabulary, features of the composition.
- Symbolism plays an important role. Falling into the mud “predicts” the future exposure of the main character. The spider weaves its webs to capture its next victim. Like an “unpleasant” insect, Chichikov skillfully runs his “business,” “entwining” landowners and officials with noble lies. “sounds” like the pathos of Rus'’s forward movement and affirms human self-improvement.
- We observe the heroes through the prism of “comic” situations, apt author’s expressions and characteristics given by other characters, sometimes built on the antithesis: “he was a prominent man” - but only “at first glance.”
- The vices of the heroes of Dead Souls become a continuation of the positive character traits. For example, Plyushkin’s monstrous stinginess is a distortion of his former thrift and thriftiness.
- In small lyrical “inserts” there are the writer’s thoughts, difficult thoughts, and an anxious “I.” In them we feel the highest creative message: to help humanity change for the better.
- The fate of people who create works for the people or not to please “those in power” does not leave Gogol indifferent, because in literature he saw a force capable of “re-educating” society and promoting its civilized development. Social strata of society, their position in relation to everything national: culture, language, traditions - occupy a serious place in the author’s digressions. When it comes to Rus' and its future, through the centuries we hear the confident voice of the “prophet”, predicting the difficult, but aimed at a bright dream, future of the Fatherland.
- Philosophical reflections on the frailty of existence, lost youth and impending old age evoke sadness. Therefore, it is so natural to have a tender “fatherly” appeal to youth, on whose energy, hard work and education depends which “path” the development of Russia will take.
- The language is truly folk. The forms of colloquial, literary and written business speech are harmoniously woven into the fabric of the poem. Rhetorical questions and exclamations, the rhythmic construction of individual phrases, the use of Slavicisms, archaisms, sonorous epithets create a certain structure of speech that sounds solemn, excited and sincere, without a shadow of irony. When describing landowners' estates and their owners use vocabulary characteristic of everyday speech. The image of the bureaucratic world is saturated with the vocabulary of the depicted environment.
- we described in the essay of the same name.
The solemnity of comparisons, high style, combined with original speech, create a sublimely ironic manner of narration, serving to debunk the base, vulgar world of the owners.
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Plan
1.Introduction
2. The meaning of the name “Dead Souls”
3. Genre and essence of the poem
4. Heroes and images
5. Composition of the work
The meaning of the name “Dead Souls” is multifaceted and multi-level. As you delve further into the reading, the author’s intention becomes clear. When serfdom existed, dead peasants were “excluded from the list of the living” only once every four years when carrying out an audit. Until this moment, they were listed as alive and unscrupulous owners or other officials took advantage of this, selling or buying them for their own selfish purposes. It is these peasants who are the “dead souls” in the first chapters. Next, the author introduces us to the officials and landowners who are precisely involved in the movement of non-existent serfs. Their greed, inhumanity and thirst for profit speak of the callousness of their soul, or its absence altogether. This is who the real “dead souls” are.
The literary genre of this unique work is also not so simple. Before starting to write Dead Souls, he positioned the work as adventurous - picaresque or social novel. But in the process of work, a lot changed, and the writer realized that a love affair was not at all what he wanted to show to his contemporaries and descendants. During the publication of the first volume, the author insisted that the work be framed as a poem. Nikolai Vasilyevich’s desire was completely justified.
Firstly, it was planned to write two more volumes, in which the topic of the work would be revealed from a different angle. And secondly, multiple digressions of a lyrical nature also indicate this literary genre. Gogol himself explained this by saying that the events in the poem unfold around one main character, on whose path he encounters various difficulties and events that reflect the essence of a given time.
This poem is based on Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy". The main path actor Chichikova had to go through hell, purgatory and heaven, growing new shoots in his mutilated soul good man. Social system, and way of life folk life plays a significant role in the development of the personality of each individual hero. The situation in the country as a whole, in a particular city or estate, and a person’s attitude towards this social life are an expression of the vicious sides of the individual. It is not for nothing that the author believed that the soul dies mainly from circumstances and living conditions.
Earlier in his works, Gogol revealed the life of the Russian people only in one specific area. In “Dead Souls” everything is covered Russian land and the life of various segments of the population - from serfs to the prosecutor. From the provinces to the capital, the problems that worried the people were closely interconnected and clearly, but rather sharply outlined by the author. Unpunished corruption, theft, cruelty and destruction were the main problems. But, despite all this, the Russian people did not stop believing in a bright future, standing out against the gray background with their sublimity and nobility of purpose. This is probably why the poem acquired such significance and popularity, which has survived to this day.
The positive characters of “Dead Souls” can be counted on one hand. This is the writer and landowner Kostanzhoglo himself. Having scientific knowledge, the landowner differed from other heroes of the poem in his prudence, responsibility, and the logic of his deeds. Having fallen precisely under his influence, Chichikov begins to take a closer look at his actions, comprehend them and take the first steps towards positive correction. The image of the writer himself, as the hero of the work, is presented by a man tragically rooting for his country.
Corruption and unrest reigning everywhere mercilessly wound him to the very heart and involuntarily make him deeply feel responsibility for the wrongdoings committed by others. The images of the remaining characters are negative and appear in the plot as they decline morally. All officials and landowners belong to negative personalities. They are driven by the thirst for profit. All their actions and thoughts are justified only by absurdity and madness, and are absolutely beyond logical explanation.
The author focuses on the fact that each specific hero describes not the person himself, but the human type, in general. For example, about Korobochka the author writes “...one of those...”. She is someone collectively, symbolizing the box as a vessel full of thirst for profit and accumulation of other people's goods. And about Manilov it is said that he “...belongs to so-so people...”.
In each chapter, Gogol pays special attention not only to dialogues, but also to colorful descriptions of village landscapes, the furnishings of houses and estates, as well as portrait characteristics hero. The image of Stepan Plyushkin turned out to be especially vivid and memorable. “...Oh, woman! Oh, No!...". First impressions of this landowner did not give a clear answer to what gender he was, “... the dress she was wearing was completely vague, very similar to a woman’s hood, on her head was a cap worn by village courtyard women...”. The landowner's character was quite bright, despite his stinginess, greed and sloppiness. The people around him described him as a miser, a swindler, a dog, in whom “... human feelings, which were not deep in him anyway, became shallow every minute...”. Despite the fact that Plyushkin manifests himself in the highest degree of degradation and sloppiness, and Chichikov is full of absurd greed, the author presents them to us as people capable of better changes.
Despite the high level of literary significance, the plot of the work is quite simple. This is the use of those very dead peasant souls for their own ignoble purposes. For example, the visiting official Chichikov bought them in order to pawn non-existent workers and get a considerable amount for them. The composition of the poem is divided into three parts, each of which contains a certain number of chapters. The first compositional part of “Dead Souls” shows the landowner types that existed during the work of N. Gogol. Their images include Manilov, Nozdryov, Korobochka, Sobakevich and Plyushkin.
The appearance of Chichikov in the city and his trips to the estates are also described in detail. The first link at first seems like empty movements of the protagonist from one estate to another. But in fact, this is a kind of peculiar preparation of the reader for the denouement of the poem. Further in the plot follow more energetic and interesting events. Making “purchases” of souls and talking about the cases carried out by Chichikov and the prosecutor. In addition, the main character finds time to become infatuated with the governor's daughter. At the end of this link, death awaits the prosecutor, since he cannot withstand the reproach of his conscience in front of his actions.
The last chapter of the first volume is the last link and the beginning of the writer’s next work. In the part of the second volume that has reached us, deeper and more tragic feelings about the resale of the unfortunate souls of dead peasants are revealed. The plot can still be called unexpected and completely incomprehensible. The appearance of the main character comes out of nowhere and he also leaves for nowhere. The ambiguity of his actions points more to the theme of character than to the country's widespread misfortune.
With his poem, Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol not only exposes officials, showing us their callousness, rottenness and hypocrisy, but also draws attention to the fact that each of us can grow a seed of cruelty and indifference in our souls. “Isn’t there some part of Chichikov in me?...” With these words, the author warns the reader, forcing him to listen to his inner world and eradicate existing depravity in him.
The author in his work devoted considerable importance to the theme of love for one’s Motherland, respect for work, humanity, both in general and for each individual. The volumes of “Dead Souls” were supposed to identify the past, present and future of the country. But unfortunately, the third volume was not written. Perhaps, in this way, the writer gives a chance to create the future on his own?
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol worked on this work for 17 years. According to the writer's plan, a grandiose literary work was to consist of three volumes. Gogol himself more than once reported that the idea for the work was suggested to him by Pushkin. Alexander Sergeevich was also one of the first listeners of the poem.
Work on “Dead Souls” was difficult. The writer changed the concept several times and reworked certain parts. Gogol worked on the first volume alone, which was published in 1842, for six years.
A few days before his death, the writer burned the manuscript of the second volume, of which only drafts of the first four and one of the last chapters survived. The author never got around to starting the third volume.
At first, Gogol considered “Dead Souls” satirical a novel in which he intended to show “all of Rus'.” But in 1840 the writer became seriously ill, and was healed literally by a miracle. Nikolai Vasilyevich decided that this was a sign - the Creator himself was demanding that he create something that would serve the spiritual revival of Russia. Thus, the concept of “Dead Souls” was rethought. The idea came up to create a trilogy like “ Divine Comedy» Dante. This is where the genre definition of the author - a poem - arose.
Gogol believed that in the first volume it was necessary to show the decomposition of serf society, its spiritual impoverishment. In the second, to give hope for the cleansing of “dead souls.” In the third, the revival of a new Russia was already planned.
The basis of the plot the poem became an official's scam Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. Its essence was as follows. A census of serfs was carried out in Russia every 10 years. Therefore, peasants who died between censuses were considered alive according to official documents (revision tales). Chichikov’s goal is to buy up “dead souls” at a low price, and then pawn them in the guardianship council and get a lot of money. The fraudster hopes that the landowners will benefit from such a deal: they do not have to pay taxes on the deceased until the next audit. In search of “dead souls” Chichikov travels around Russia.
This plot outline allowed the author to create a social panorama of Russia. In the first chapter, Chichikov is introduced, then the author describes his meetings with landowners and officials. Final chapter again dedicated to the swindler. The image of Chichikov and his purchase of dead souls are united storyline works.
The landowners in the poem are typical representatives of people of their circle and time: spendthrifts (Manilov and Nozdrev), hoarders (Sobakevich and Korobochka). This gallery is completed by a spender and a hoarder rolled into one - Plyushkin.
Image of Manilov especially successful. This hero gave the name to a whole phenomenon of Russian reality - “Manilovism”. In his interactions with others, Manilov is soft to the point of cloying, loving posing in everything, but an empty and completely inactive owner. Gogol showed a sentimental dreamer who can only arrange the ashes knocked out of a pipe in beautiful rows. Manilov is stupid and lives in the world of his useless fantasies.
landowner Nozdryov, on the contrary, is very active. But his ebullient energy is not directed at all to economic concerns. Nozdryov is a gambler, a spendthrift, a reveler, a braggart, an empty and frivolous person. If Manilov strives to please everyone, then Nozdryov constantly causes mischief. Not out of malice, really, that’s his nature.
Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka- a type of economical, but narrow-minded and conservative landowner, quite tight-fisted. Her interests include pantry, barns and poultry houses. Korobochka even went to the nearest town twice in her life. In everything that goes beyond her daily concerns, the landowner is impossibly stupid. The author calls her “club-headed.”
Mikhail Semenovich Sobakevich the writer identifies it with a bear: he is clumsy and clumsy, but strong and strong. The landowner is primarily interested in the practicality and durability of things, and not in their beauty. Sobakevich, despite his rough appearance, has a sharp mind and cunning. This is an evil and dangerous predator, the only landowner capable of accepting the new capitalist way of life. Gogol notes that the time for such cruel business people is coming.
Image of Plyushkin does not fit into any framework. The old man himself is malnourished, starving the peasants, and a lot of food is rotting in his pantries, Plyushkin's chests are filled with expensive things that are becoming unusable. Incredible stinginess deprives this man of his family.
The bureaucracy in “Dead Souls” is a thoroughly corrupt company of thieves and swindlers. In the system of city bureaucracy, the writer paints with large strokes the image of a “jug’s snout”, ready to sell his own mother for a bribe. The narrow-minded police chief and alarmist prosecutor, who died of fear because of Chichikov’s scam, is no better.
The main character is a rogue, in whom some traits of other characters are discernible. He is amiable and prone to posing (Manilov), petty (Korobochka), greedy (Plyushkin), enterprising (Sobakevich), narcissistic (Nozdryov). Among officials, Pavel Ivanovich feels confident because he has passed all the universities of fraud and bribery. But Chichikov is smarter and more educated than those with whom he deals. He is an excellent psychologist: he delights provincial society, masterfully bargains with every landowner.
The writer put a special meaning into the title of the poem. These are not only dead peasants that Chichikov buys up. By “dead souls” Gogol understands the emptiness and lack of spirituality of his characters. There is nothing sacred for the money-grubbing Chichikov. Plyushkin has lost all human semblance. The box doesn’t mind digging up coffins for profit. At Nozdrev's, only the dogs have a good life; their own children are abandoned. Manilov's soul sleeps soundly. There is not a drop of decency and nobility in Sobakevich.
The landowners in the second volume look different. Tentetnikov- a philosopher disillusioned with everything. He is immersed in thought and does not do housework, but is smart and talented. Kostanzhoglo and a completely exemplary landowner. Millionaire Murazov also arouses sympathy. He forgives Chichikov and stands up for him, helping Khlobuev.
But we never saw the rebirth of the main character. A person who has let the “golden calf” into his soul, a bribe-taker, embezzler and swindler, is unlikely to be able to become different.
During his lifetime the writer did not find the answer to main question: where is Rus' rushing like a fast troika? But “Dead Souls” remains a reflection of Russia in the 30s of the 19th century and an amazing gallery satirical images, many of which have become household names. “Dead Souls” is a striking phenomenon in Russian literature. The poem opened up a whole direction in her, which Belinsky called "critical realism".
