Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is the most important thing. Gogol Nikolai Vasilievich - biography. Film adaptations of works, theatrical performances

Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol - genius Russian writer, a person who is known, first of all, as the author of the timeless work “Dead Souls”, a person with tragic fate, which is still shrouded in a halo of mystery.

Brief biography and creative path

Gogol was born on March 20 (or April 1 according to the new style) 1809 in Sorochintsy, Poltava province in large family landowner. Gogol's childhood They were brought up on the principles of mutual respect, love of nature and literary creativity. After graduating from the Poltava School, the young man entered the Nizhyn Gymnasium to study justice. He was interested in painting, delved into the principles of Russian literature, but did not write very skillfully in those years.

Literary achievements

With Gogol's move to the northern capital in 1828, his literary journey as a unique author began. But everything didn’t work out smoothly right away: Nikolai Vasilyevich served as an official studied painting at the Academy of Arts and even made attempts to become an actor, but none of the activities mentioned brought the expected satisfaction.

Acquaintance with such influential figures in society as, and Delvig helped Gogol to show the originality of his talent. His first published work was “Basavryuk”, then “The Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala”, which gave the writer his first fame. Later world literature began to recognize Gogol from original plays such as “The Inspector General,” short stories (“The Nose”) and stories with a Ukrainian flavor (“Sorochinskaya Fair”)

Completion of life's journey

One of the last turns of the writer’s biography was traveling abroad influenced by the negative reaction of the public to the production of The Inspector General. In Rome, he works on “Dead Souls,” the first volume of which he publishes after returning to his homeland. But it seems that the author is not happy with anything: he falls into depression, breaks down spiritually, and on the eve of his death, February 21, 1852, he simply burned the second volume of the completed work.

Mysterious death

Surprisingly, there are rumors about what exactly did the great Russian writer die from? still haven't subsided. Even modern doctors cannot make an accurate diagnosis, although according to biographers, Gogol was sickly child. Despite the variety of diagnoses that could lead to death - from cancer to meningitis, from typhus to insanity - even version of poisoning writer with mercury.

Oddities and eccentricities

Russian and world literature knows Gogol as a man whose immortal creations call for good light, true reason and spiritual perfection. While the life of the writer himself is full of very strange and ambiguous phenomena. Some researchers are confident that Nikolai Vasilyevich suffered from schizophrenia, as well as attacks of psychosis and claustrophobia. The writer personally claimed that he had displaced organs in his body, some of which were placed upside down. Contemporaries said that he amazed everyone with atypical attachments for a person of his level, for example, needlework, sleeping in a sitting position, and writing, on the contrary, only while standing. The prose writer also had passion for rolling bread balls.

To others unusual facts From the writer’s biographical path, the following can be included:

• Gogol never married. He proposed to a woman only once, but was rejected.
• Nikolai Vasilyevich loved cooking and cooking, often treating his acquaintances to home-cooked dishes, including a special drink containing rum called “nog-mogol”.
• The writer always had sweets with him, which he never tired of chewing.
• He was a shy person and was very embarrassed about his own nose.
• Fears occupied a special place in Gogol’s life: a strong thunderstorm got on his nerves, and in general, he was a person not alien to religious, mystical and superstitious considerations. Perhaps this is why mysticism has always haunted the prose writer: for example, he himself said that his story “Viy” is nothing more than folk legend, which he once heard and simply re-recorded. But neither historians, nor folklorists, nor researchers in other fields have found any mention of this.

Not only fate and creativity, but even the death of a writer is one continuous mystery. After all, during reburial, he was found turned to one side.

If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you

Among the biographies of great writers, biography of Gogol stands in a separate row. After reading this article you will understand why this is so.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is a generally recognized literary classic. He worked masterfully in the most different genres. Both his contemporaries and writers of subsequent generations spoke positively about his works.

When Alexander Sergeevich read “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka” and “The Night Before Christmas,” full of humor and mysticism, he highly appreciated Gogol’s talent.

At this time, Nikolai Vasilyevich became seriously interested in the history of Little Russia, as a result of which he wrote several works. Among them was the famous “Taras Bulba”, who gained worldwide fame.

Gogol even wrote letters to his mother asking her to tell him about his life in as much detail as possible. ordinary people living in remote villages.

In 1835, from his pen comes famous story"Viy." It contains ghouls, ghouls, witches and other mystical characters that regularly appear in his creative biography. Later, a film was made based on this work. In fact, it can be called the first Soviet horror film.

In 1841, Nikolai Vasilyevich wrote another story, “The Overcoat,” which became famous. It tells about a hero who becomes poor to such an extent that the most ordinary things make him happy.

Gogol's personal life

From his youth until the end of his life, Gogol experienced disorders. For example, he was very afraid early death.

Some biographers claim that the writer generally suffered from manic-depressive psychosis. His mood often changed, which could not but worry the writer himself.

In his letters, he admitted that he periodically heard certain voices calling him somewhere. Due to constant emotional stress and fear of death, Gogol was seriously interested in religion and led a secluded lifestyle.

His attitude towards women was also peculiar. Rather, he loved them from a distance, being attracted to them more spiritually than physically.

Nikolai Vasilyevich corresponded with girls of different social status, doing it romantically and timidly. He didn’t really like to flaunt his personal life and, in general, any details related to this side of his biography.

Due to the fact that Gogol did not have children, there is a version that he was a homosexual. To date, this assumption has absolutely no evidence, although discussions on this topic are periodically conducted.

Death

The early death of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol still causes many heated debates among his biographers and historians. In the last years of his life, Gogol experienced creative crisis.

This was largely due to the death of Khomyakov’s wife, as well as criticism of his works by Archpriest Matthew Konstantinovich.

All these events and mental anguish led to the fact that on February 5 he decided to refuse food. After 5 days, Gogol burned all his manuscripts with his own hands, explaining that some “evil force” commanded him to do so.

On February 18, while adhering to Lent, Gogol began to feel physical weakness, which is why he took to bed. He avoided any treatment, preferring to calmly await his own death.

Due to intestinal inflammation, doctors believed he had meningitis. It was decided to perform bloodletting, which not only caused irreparable harm to the writer’s health, but also worsened his mental state.

On February 21, 1852, Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol died on the estate of Count Tolstoy in Moscow. He did not live to see his 43rd birthday by just one month.

The biography of the Russian writer Gogol contains so many interesting facts that you could make up a whole book from them. Let's give just a few.

• Gogol was afraid of thunderstorms, as this natural phenomenon had a negative effect on his psyche.
• The writer lived poorly and wore old clothes. The only expensive item in his wardrobe was a gold watch, donated by Zhukovsky in memory of Pushkin.
• Gogol's mother was considered a strange woman. She was superstitious, believed in supernatural things and constantly told mysterious, embellished stories.
• According to rumors, Gogol’s last words were: “How sweet it is to die.”
• often received inspiration through the work of Gogol.
• Nikolai Vasilyevich loved sweets, so he always had sweets and pieces of sugar in his pocket. He also loved to roll bread crumbs in his hands - it helped him concentrate on his thoughts.
• Gogol was sensitive about his appearance. He was very irritated by his own nose.
• Nikolai Vasilyevich was afraid that he would be buried while in lethargic sleep. Therefore, he asked that his body be interred only after the appearance of cadaveric spots.
• According to legend, Gogol did wake up in a coffin. And this rumor has a basis. The fact is that when they intended to rebury his body, those present were horrified to discover that the dead man’s head was turned to one side.

If you liked the short biography of Gogol, share it on social networks. If you generally like biographies of great people and simply subscribe to the site IinterestingFakty.org. It's always interesting with us!

Did you like the post? Press any button.

In this article we'll talk about the life of Gogol. This writer created many immortal works that rightfully occupy their rightful place in the annals of world literature. There are many rumors and legends associated with his name, some of which Nikolai Vasilyevich spread about himself. He was a great inventor and mystifier, which certainly affected his work.

Parents

Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich, whose biography is discussed in this article, was born in 1809, on March 20, in the settlement of Velikiye Sorochintsy in the Poltava province. On the father's side, the future writer's family included church ministers, but the boy's grandfather, Afanasy Demyanovich, left his spiritual career and began working in the hetman's office. It was he who subsequently added to the surname Yanovsky received at birth another, more famous one - Gogol. Thus, Nikolai Vasilyevich’s ancestor sought to emphasize his relationship with the famous Ukrainian history Colonel Ostap Gogol, who lived in the 17th century.

The father of the future writer, Vasily Afanasyevich Gogol-Yanovsky, was an exalted and dreamy man. This can be judged by the history of his marriage to the daughter of a local landowner, Maria Ivanovna Kosyarovskaya. As a thirteen-year-old teenager, Vasily Afanasyevich saw in a dream the Mother of God, pointing him to a little unfamiliar girl as his future wife. After some time, the boy recognized the heroine of his dream in the seven-month-old daughter of the Kosyarovsky neighbors. From an early age, he carefully looked after his chosen one and married Maria Ivanovna when she was barely 14 years old. Gogol's family lived in great love and harmony. The writer's biography began in 1809, when the couple finally had their first child, Nikolai. The parents were kind to the baby and tried in every possible way to protect him from any troubles and shocks.

Childhood

Gogol's biography, a brief summary of which will be useful for everyone to know, began in truly hothouse conditions. Dad and mom adored the baby and did not deny him anything. Besides him, there were eleven more children in the family, but most of them died in middle age. However, Nikolai, of course, enjoyed the greatest love.

The writer spent his childhood years in Vasilyevka, his parents’ estate. The town of Kibintsy was considered the cultural center of this region. This was D.T.'s domain. Troshchinsky, a former minister and distant relative of the Yanovsky-Gogols. He held the post of povet marshal (that is, he was the district leader of the nobility), and Vasily Afanasyevich was listed as his secretary. Kibitzi often hosted theatrical performances, in which the father of the future writer took an active part. Nikolai often attended rehearsals, was very proud of it, and at home, inspired by his dad’s work, he wrote good poetry. However, Gogol's first literary experiments have not survived. As a child, he drew well and even organized an exhibition of his paintings on his parents’ estate.

Education

Together with his younger brother Ivan, Nikolai Gogol was sent to the Poltava district school in 1818. The biography of a home boy, accustomed to greenhouse conditions, followed a completely different scenario. His comfortable childhood was quickly ending. At school he was taught very strict discipline, but Nikolai never showed any particular zeal for science. The very first holidays ended in a terrible tragedy - brother Ivan died from an unknown disease. After his death, all the parents' hopes were placed on Nikolai. He needed to get better education, for which he was sent to study at the Nizhyn classical gymnasium. The conditions here were very harsh: children were raised every day at 5.30 am, and classes lasted from 9.00 to 17.00. During the remaining time, the students were supposed to study their lessons and pray diligently.

However future writer managed to get used to local customs. Soon he made friends, famous and respected people in the future: Nestor Kukolnik, Nikolai Prokopovich, Konstantin Basili, Alexander Danilevsky. All of them, having matured, became famous writers. And this is not surprising! While still high school students, they founded several handwritten magazines: “Meteor of Literature”, “Dawn of the North”, “Zvezda” and others. In addition, teenagers were passionate about theater. Moreover creative biography Gogol could well have been different - many predicted his fate famous actor. However, the young man dreamed of public service and, after graduating from high school, he decisively headed to St. Petersburg to pursue a career.

Official

Together with his friend from the gymnasium, Danilevsky, in 1828, Gogol went to the capital. St. Petersburg greeted young people with inhospitability; they were constantly in need of money and unsuccessfully tried to find decent work. At this time, Nikolai Vasilyevich is trying to earn a living literary experiments. However, his first poem "Hanz Küchelgarten" was not successful. In 1829, the writer began serving in the department of state economy and public buildings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, then worked for almost a year in the department of appanages under the leadership of famous poet IN AND. Panaeva. Staying in the offices of various departments helped Nikolai Vasilyevich collect a wealth of material for future works. However, the civil service forever disappointed the writer. Fortunately, he soon experienced truly stunning success in the literary field.

Fame

In 1831, Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka was published. “This is real gaiety, sincere, unconstrained...” - Pushkin said about this work. Now the personality and biography of Gogol have become interesting to the most famous people in Russia. His talent was readily recognized by everyone. Nikolai Vasilyevich was overjoyed and constantly wrote letters to his mother and sisters asking them to send him more material about Little Russian folk customs.

In 1836 the famous " Petersburg story"of the writer - "The Nose". In this extremely bold work for its time, admiration for rank in its smallest and sometimes disgusting manifestations is ridiculed. At the same time, Gogol creates the work "Taras Bulba". The biography and work of the writer are inextricably linked with his dear homeland - Ukraine. In "Taras Bulba" Nikolai Vasilyevich talks about the heroic past of his country, about how representatives of the people (Cossacks) fearlessly defended their own independence from the Polish invaders.

"Inspector"

How much trouble this play caused the author! Being a brilliant writer and playwright who far anticipated his time, Nikolai Vasilyevich was never able to convey to his contemporaries the meaning of his immortal work. The plot of The Inspector General was given to Gogol by Pushkin. Inspired by the great poet, the author wrote it literally for a few months. In the fall of 1835, the first sketches appeared, and in 1836, on January 18, the first hearing of the play took place at an evening with Zhukovsky. On April 19, the premiere of “The Inspector General” took place on the stage of the Alexandria Theater. Nicholas the First himself came to her, along with his heir. They say that after watching the emperor said: “Well, it’s a play! Everyone got it, and I got it more than everyone else!” However, Nikolai Vasilyevich was not amused. He, a convinced monarchist, was accused of revolutionary sentiments, undermining the foundations of society, and God knows what else. But he was simply trying to ridicule the abuse of local officials; his goal was morality, and not politics at all. The distressed writer left the country and went on a long trip abroad.

Abroad

An interesting biography of Gogol abroad deserves special attention. In total, the writer spent twelve years on “rescue” travels. In 1936, Nikolai Vasilyevich did not limit himself in anything: at the beginning of the summer he settled in Germany, spent the autumn in Switzerland, and came to Paris for the winter. During this time, he made great progress in writing the novel." Dead Souls"The plot of the work was suggested to the author by the same Pushkin. He highly appreciated the first chapters of the novel, admitting that Russia, in essence, is a very sad country.

In February 1837, Gogol, whose biography is interesting and instructive, moved to Rome. Here he learned about the death of Alexander Sergeevich. In despair, Nikolai Vasilyevich decided that “Dead Souls” was the poet’s “sacred testament”, which must definitely see the light of day. In 1838, Zhukovsky arrived in Rome. Gogol enjoyed walking the streets of the city with the poet, drawing local landscapes with him.

Return to Russia

In 1839, in September, the writer returned to Moscow. Now publications" Dead souls"is dedicated to the creative biography of Gogol. Summary The works are already known to many of Nikolai Vasilyevich’s friends. He read individual chapters of the novel in the Aksakovs’ house, at Prokopovich’s and Zhukovsky’s. His closest circle of friends became his listeners. They were all delighted with Gogol's creation. In 1842, in May, the first publication of Dead Souls was published. At first, reviews of the work were mostly positive, then the initiative was seized by Nikolai Vasilyevich’s ill-wishers. They accused the writer of slander, caricature, and farce. A truly devastating article was written by N. A. Polevoy. However, Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol did not take part in this entire controversy. The writer's biography continued abroad again.

Matters of the heart

Gogol never married. Very little is known about his serious relationships with women. His longtime and devoted friend was Smirnova Alexandra Osipovna. When she came to Rome, her guide to ancient city became Nikolai Vasilyevich. In addition, there was a very lively correspondence between friends. However, the woman was married, so the relationship between her and the writer was only platonic. The biography of Gogol is decorated with another heartfelt passion. Short story his personal relationships with women says: one day the writer decided to get married. He became interested in the young Countess Anna Vilegorskaya and proposed to her in the late 1940s. The girl's parents were against this marriage, and the writer was refused. Nikolai Vasilyevich was very depressed by this story, and since then he has not tried to arrange his personal life.

Work on the second volume

Before leaving, the author of “Dead Souls” decided to publish the first collection of his own works. He, as always, needed money. However, he himself did not want to deal with this troublesome matter and entrusted this matter to his friend Prokopovich. In the summer of 1842, the writer was in Germany, and in the fall he moved to Rome. Here he worked on the second volume of Dead Souls. Almost the entire creative biography of Gogol is devoted to the writing of this novel. The most important thing that he wanted to do at that moment was to show the image of an ideal citizen of Russia: smart, strong and principled. However, the work progressed with great difficulty and at the beginning of 1845 the writer began to show the first signs of a large-scale mental crisis.

Last years

The writer continued to write his novel, but was increasingly distracted by other matters. For example, he composed “The Inspector's Denouement,” which radically changed the entire previous interpretation of the play. Then, in 1847, “Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends” was published in St. Petersburg. In this book, Nikolai Vasilyevich tried to explain why the second volume of Dead Souls has not yet been written, and expressed doubt about the educational role of fiction.

A whole storm of public indignation hit the writer. “Selected places...” is the most controversial point that marks Gogol’s creative biography. A brief history of the creation of this work suggests that it was written in a moment of mental turmoil of the writer, his desire to move away from his previous positions and start a new life.

Burning of manuscripts

In general, the writer burned his works more than once. This, one might say, was his bad habit. In 1829, he did this with his poem “Hans Küchelgarten,” and in 1840, with the Little Russian tragedy “The Shaved Mustache,” which he could not impress Zhukovsky with. At the beginning of 1845, the writer’s health deteriorated sharply; he constantly consulted with various medical celebrities and went to water resorts for treatment. He visited Dresden, Berlin, Halle, but was unable to improve his health. The writer's religious exaltation gradually increased. He often communicated with his confessor, Father Matvey. He believed that literary creativity distracts from inner life and demanded that the writer renounce his divine gift. As a result, on February 11, 1852, Gogol’s biography was marked by a fateful event. The most important creation of his life - the second volume of Dead Souls - was mercilessly burned by him.

Death

In April 1848, Gogol returned to Russia. Most He spent time in Moscow, sometimes came to St. Petersburg and to his homeland, Ukraine. The writer read individual chapters from the second volume of “Dead Souls” to friends, and again basked in the rays of universal love and worship. Nikolai Vasilyevich came to the production of “The Inspector General” at the Maly Theater and was pleased with the performance. In January 1852 it became known that the novel was “completely over.” However, soon a new spiritual crisis marked Gogol’s biography. The main work of his whole life - literary creativity - seemed useless to him. He burned the second volume of Dead Souls and a few days later (February 21, 1852) died in Moscow. He was buried in the cemetery of the St. Daniel's Monastery, and in 1931 he was moved to the Novodevichy cemetery.

Posthumous will

This is the biography of Gogol. Interesting facts from his life are largely related to his posthumous will. It is well known that he asked not to erect a monument over his grave and not to bury him for several weeks, since sometimes the writer fell into a kind of lethargic sleep. Both of the writer's wishes were violated. Gogol was buried a few days after his death, and in 1957, a marble bust by Nikolai Tomsk was installed at the burial site of Nikolai Vasilyevich.

The life of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is so vast and multifaceted that historians are still researching the biography and epistolary materials of the great writer, and documentarians are making films that tell about the secrets of the mysterious genius of literature. Interest in the playwright has not waned for two hundred years, not only because of his lyric-epic works, but also because Gogol is one of the most mystical figures of Russian literature of the 19th century.

Childhood and youth

To this day it is unknown when Nikolai Vasilyevich was born. Some chroniclers believe that Gogol was born on March 20, while others are sure that the true date of birth of the writer is April 1, 1809.

The master of phantasmagoria spent his childhood in Ukraine, in the picturesque village of Sorochintsy, Poltava province. He grew up in a large family - in addition to him, 5 more boys and 6 girls were raised in the house (some of them died in infancy).

The great writer has an interesting pedigree, going back to the Cossack noble dynasty Gogol-Yanovskikh. According to family legend, the playwright’s grandfather Afanasy Demyanovich Yanovsky added the second part to his surname to prove blood ties with the Cossack hetman Ostap Gogol, who lived in the 17th century.

The writer's father, Vasily Afanasyevich, worked in the Little Russian province in the postal department, from where he retired in 1805 with the rank of collegiate assessor. Later, Gogol-Yanovsky retired to the Vasilyevka estate (Yanovshchina) and began farming. Vasily Afanasyevich was known as a poet, writer and playwright: he owned the home theater of his friend Troshchinsky, and also performed on stage as an actor.

For productions he wrote comedy plays, based on Ukrainian folk ballads and tales. But before modern readers Only one work by Gogol the Elder has survived - “The Simpleton, or the Cunning of a Woman Outwitted by a Soldier.” It was from his father that Nikolai Vasilyevich adopted his love for literary art and creative talent: it is known that Gogol Jr. began writing poetry from childhood. Vasily Afanasyevich died when Nikolai was 15 years old.

The writer’s mother, Maria Ivanovna, née Kosyarovskaya, according to contemporaries, was pretty and was considered the first beauty in the village. Everyone who knew her used to say that she was a religious person and was involved in the spiritual education of children. However, Gogol-Yanovskaya’s teachings were reduced not to Christian rituals and prayers, but to prophecies of the Last Judgment.

It is known that the woman married Gogol-Yanovsky when she was 14 years old. Nikolai Vasilyevich was close to his mother and even asked for advice on his manuscripts. Some writers believe that thanks to Maria Ivanovna, Gogol’s work is endowed with fantasy and mysticism.

Nikolai Vasilyevich’s childhood and youth were spent surrounded by peasant and gentleman’s life and were endowed with those bourgeois characteristics that the playwright meticulously described in his works.

When Nikolai was ten years old, he was sent to Poltava, where he studied science at school, and then learned to read and write from a local teacher, Gabriel Sorochinsky. After classical training, the 16-year-old boy became a student at the Gymnasium of Higher Sciences in the city of Nizhyn, Chernihiv region. In addition to the fact that the future classic of literature was in poor health, he was also not strong in studies, although he had an exceptional memory. Nikolai’s relationship with the exact sciences did not work out, but he excelled in Russian literature and literature.

Some biographers argue that the gymnasium itself is to blame for such an inferior education, rather than the young writer. The fact is that in those years the Nizhyn gymnasium had weak teachers who could not provide students with decent education. For example, knowledge in moral education lessons was presented not through the teachings of eminent philosophers, but through corporal punishment with a rod; the literature teacher did not keep up with the times, preferring the classics of the 18th century.

During his studies, Gogol gravitated toward creativity and zealously participated in theatrical productions and improvised skits. Among his comrades, Nikolai Vasilyevich was known as a comedian and a perky person. The writer communicated with Nikolai Prokopovich, Alexander Danilevsky, Nestor Kukolnik and others.

Literature

Gogol began to be interested in the writing field back in student years. He admired A.S. Pushkin, although his first creations were far from the style of the great poet, but were more like the works of Bestuzhev-Marlinsky.

He composed elegies, feuilletons, poems, tried himself in prose and other literary genres. During his studies, he wrote a satire “Something about Nezhin, or the law is not written for fools,” which has not survived to this day. It is noteworthy that the young man initially regarded his craving for creativity as a hobby rather than as his life’s work.

Writing was for Gogol “a ray of light in dark kingdom"and helped to distract from mental torment. Then Nikolai Vasilyevich’s plans were not clear, but he wanted to serve the Motherland and be useful to the people, believing that a great future awaited him.

In the winter of 1828, Gogol went to the cultural capital - St. Petersburg. In the cold and gloomy city, Nikolai Vasilyevich was disappointed. He tried to become an official and also tried to join the theater, but all his attempts were defeated. Only in literature was he able to find opportunities for income and self-expression.

But failure awaited Nikolai Vasilyevich in his writing, since only two works by Gogol were published in magazines - the poem “Italy” and romantic poem"Hanz Küchelgarten", published under the pseudonym V. Alov. “Idyll in Pictures” received a number of negative and sarcastic reviews from critics. After his creative defeat, Gogol bought all editions of the poem and burned them in his room. Nikolai Vasilyevich did not abandon literature even after a resounding failure; the failure with Hanz Küchelgarten gave him the opportunity to change the genre.

In 1830, it was published in the eminent journal Otechestvennye zapiski mystical story Gogol "The Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala".

Later, the writer meets Baron Delvig and begins to publish in his publications “Literary Newspaper” and “Northern Flowers”.

After creative success Gogol was warmly received in the literary circle. He began to communicate with Pushkin and. Works “Evenings on a farm near Dikanka”, “The Night before Christmas”, “ Enchanted place", seasoned with a mixture of Ukrainian epic and everyday humor, made an impression on the Russian poet.

Rumor has it that it was Alexander Sergeevich who gave Nikolai Vasilyevich the background for new works. He suggested plot ideas for the poem “Dead Souls” (1842) and the comedy “The Inspector General” (1836). However, P.V. Annenkov believes that Pushkin “did not quite willingly cede his property to him.”

Fascinated by the history of Little Russia, Nikolai Vasilyevich becomes the author of the collection “Mirgorod”, which includes several works, including “Taras Bulba”. Gogol, in letters to his mother Maria Ivanovna, asked her to talk in more detail about the life of the people in the outback.

In 1835, Gogol's story "Viy" (included in "Mirgorod") about the demonic character of the Russian epic was published. In the story, three students lost their way and came across a mysterious farm, the owner of which turned out to be a real witch. The main character Khoma will have to face unprecedented creatures, church rituals and a witch flying in a coffin.

In 1967, directors Konstantin Ershov and Georgy Kropachev produced the first Soviet horror film based on Gogol's story "Viy". The main roles were played by and.

In 1841, Gogol wrote the immortal story “The Overcoat”. In the work, Nikolai Vasilyevich talks about “ little man"Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, who becomes poor to such an extent that the most ordinary thing becomes a source of joy and inspiration for him.

Personal life

Speaking about the personality of the author of The Inspector General, it is worth noting that from Vasily Afanasyevich, in addition to a craving for literature, he also inherited fatal fate– psychological illness and fear of early death, which began to manifest itself in the playwright from his youth. Publicist V.G. wrote about this. Korolenko and Doctor Bazhenov, based on Gogol’s autobiographical materials and epistolary heritage.

If during times Soviet Union O mental disorders It was customary to keep silent about Nikolai Vasilyevich, but today’s erudite reader is very interested in such details. It is believed that Gogol suffered from manic-depressive psychosis (bipolar affective personality disorder) since childhood: a cheerful and perky mood young writer gave way to severe depression, hypochondria and despair.

This troubled his mind until his death. He also admitted in letters that he often heard “gloomy” voices calling him into the distance. Because of life in eternal fear, Gogol became a religious person and led a more reclusive life as an ascetic. He loved women, but only from a distance: he often used to tell Maria Ivanovna that he was going abroad to visit a certain lady.

He corresponded with lovely girls of different classes (with Maria Balabina, Countess Anna Vielgorskaya and others), courting them romantically and timidly. The writer did not like to advertise his personal life, especially his amorous affairs. It is known that Nikolai Vasilyevich has no children. Due to the fact that the writer was not married, there is a theory about his homosexuality. Others believe that he never had relationships beyond platonic ones.

Death

The early death of Nikolai Vasilyevich at the 42nd year of his life still excites the minds of scientists, historians and biographers. Mystical legends are written about Gogol, and about the real reason The death of the visionary is still debated to this day.

In the last years of his life, Nikolai Vasilyevich was overcome by a creative crisis. It was associated with the early death of Khomyakov’s wife and the condemnation of his stories by Archpriest Matthew Konstantinovsky, who sharply criticized Gogol’s works and, moreover, believed that the writer was not pious enough. Gloomy thoughts took possession of the playwright's mind, and from February 5 he refused food. On February 10, Nikolai Vasilyevich, “under the influence of an evil spirit,” burned the manuscripts, and on the 18th, continuing to observe Lent, he went to bed with sharp deterioration health.

The master of the pen refused medical help, expecting death. Doctors, who diagnosed him with inflammatory bowel disease, probable typhus and indigestion, eventually diagnosed the writer with meningitis and prescribed forced bloodletting, dangerous to his health, which only worsened Nikolai Vasilyevich’s mental and physical condition. On the morning of February 21, 1852, Gogol died in the count's mansion in Moscow.

Memory

The writer's works are required for study in schools and universities. educational institutions. In memory of Nikolai Vasilyevich in the USSR and other countries were issued stamps. Streets are named after Gogol Theatre of Drama, a pedagogical institute and even a crater on the planet Mercury.

Based on the works of the master, hyperbole and grotesque are still created theatrical performances and works of cinematic art are filmed. Thus, in 2017, Russian viewers can expect the premiere of the gothic detective series “Gogol. The Beginning" with and starring.

The biography of the mysterious playwright contains Interesting Facts, it is impossible to describe all of them even in a whole book.

• According to rumors, Gogol was afraid of thunderstorms, as the natural phenomenon affected his psyche.
• The writer lived poorly and wore old clothes. The only expensive item in his wardrobe is a gold watch, donated by Zhukovsky in memory of Pushkin.
• Nikolai Vasilyevich’s mother was known as a strange woman. She was superstitious, believed in the supernatural and constantly told amazing stories, embellished with fiction.
• According to rumors, Gogol’s last words were: “How sweet it is to die.”

• Gogol's work was inspiring.
• Nikolai Vasilyevich loved sweets, so he always had sweets and pieces of sugar in his pocket. The Russian prose writer also loved to roll bread crumbs in his hands - this helped him concentrate on his thoughts.
• The writer was sensitive to his appearance; he was mainly irritated by his own nose.
• Gogol was afraid that he would be buried while in a lethargic sleep. The literary genius asked that in the future his body be buried only after the appearance of cadaveric spots. According to legend, Gogol woke up in a coffin. When the writer’s body was reburied, the surprised those present saw that the dead man’s head was turned to one side.

Bibliography

• “Evenings on a farm near Dikanka” (1831–1832)
• “The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich” (1834)
• "Viy" (1835)
• "Old World Landowners" (1835)
• "Taras Bulba" (1835)
• "Nevsky Prospekt" (1835)
• "The Inspector General" (1836)
• "The Nose" (1836)
• "Notes of a Madman" (1835)
• "Portrait" (1835)
• "The Carriage" (1836)
• "Marriage" (1842)
• "Dead Souls" (1842)
• "The Overcoat" (1843)

Years of life: from 03/20/1809 to 02/21/1852

Outstanding Russian writer, playwright, poet, critic, publicist. The works are included in the classics of domestic and world literature. Gogol's works had and still have a huge influence on writers and readers.

Childhood and youth

The beginning of a literary career, rapprochement with A.S. Pushkin.

The most fruitful period of life

Last years of life. Creative and spiritual crisis of the writer.

Information about the works:

At the Nizhyn gymnasium, Gogol was not a diligent student, but had an excellent memory, prepared for exams in a few days and moved from class to class; he was very weak in languages ​​and made progress only in drawing and Russian literature.

It was Gogol, in his article “A few words about Pushkin,” who was the first to call Pushkin the greatest Russian national poet.

The morning after the burning of the manuscripts, Gogol told Count Tolstoy that he wanted to burn only some things that had been prepared in advance, but he burned everything under the influence of an evil spirit.

A bronze cross was installed on Gogol’s grave, standing on a black tombstone (“Golgotha”). In 1952, instead of Golgotha, they installed on the grave new monument, Golgotha, as unnecessary, was in the workshops for some time Novodevichy Cemetery, where she was discovered by the widow of E. S. Bulgakov. Elena Sergeevna bought the tombstone, after which it was installed over the grave of Mikhail Afanasyevich.

The 1909 film Viy is considered the first Russian “horror film.” Yes, the film has not survived to this day. And the film adaptation of the same Viy in 1967 is the only Soviet “horror film”.

Bibliography

Poems

attachments to the Auditor are partly of a journalistic nature
unfinished

Journalism

Film adaptations of works, theatrical performances

The number of theatrical productions of Gogol's plays throughout the world cannot be estimated. Only the Inspector General, and only in Moscow and St. Petersburg (Leningrad), was staged more than 20 times. A huge number of films have been made based on Gogol's works. feature films. This is not a complete list of domestic film adaptations:
Viy (1909) dir. V. Goncharov, short film
Dead Souls (1909) dir. P. Chardynin, short film
The Night Before Christmas (1913) dir. V. Starevich
Portrait (1915) dir. V. Starevich
Viy (1916) dir. V. Starevich
How Ivan Ivanovich quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich (1941) dir. A. Kustov
May Night, or the Drowned Woman (1952) dir. A. Rowe
The Inspector General (1952) dir. V. Petrov
The Overcoat (1959) dir. A. Batalov
Dead Souls (1960) dir. L. Trauberg
Evenings on a farm near Dikanka (1961) dir. A. Rowe
Viy (1967) dir. K. Ershov
Marriage (1977) dir. V. Melnikov
Incognito from St. Petersburg (1977) dir. L. Gaidai, based on the play The Inspector General
The Nose (1977) dir. R. Bykov
Dead Souls (1984) dir. M. Schweitzer, serial
The Inspector General (1996) dir. S. Gazarov
Evenings on a farm near Dikanka (2002) dir. S. Gorov, musical
The Case of “Dead Souls” (2005) dir. P. Lungin, television series
The Witch (2006) dir. O. Fesenko, based on the story Viy
Russian Game (2007) dir. P. Chukhrai, based on the play Players
Taras Bulba (2009) dir. V. Bortko
Happy Ending (2010) dir. J. Chevazhevsky, modern version based on the story Nose