The bureaucratic world in the poem dead souls. Essay: Depiction of the world of officials in the poem “Dead Souls. Officialdom in N. V. Gogol's poem "Dead Souls"

Composition

In Tsarist Russia of the 30s of the 19th century, a real disaster for the people was not only serfdom, but also an extensive bureaucratic bureaucratic apparatus. Called to guard law and order, representatives of the administrative authorities thought only about their own material well-being, stealing from the treasury, extorting bribes, and mocking powerless people. Thus, the theme of exposing the bureaucratic world was very relevant for Russian literature. Gogol addressed it more than once in such works as “The Inspector General,” “The Overcoat,” and “Notes of a Madman.” It also found expression in the poem “Dead Souls,” where, starting from the seventh chapter, bureaucracy is the focus of the author’s attention. Despite the absence of detailed and detailed images similar to the landowner heroes, the picture of bureaucratic life in Gogol’s poem is striking in its breadth.

With two or three masterful strokes, the writer draws wonderful miniature portraits. This is the governor, embroidering on tulle, and the prosecutor with very black thick eyebrows, and the short postmaster, a wit and philosopher, and many others. These sketchy faces are memorable because of their characteristic funny details that are filled with deep meaning. In fact, why is the head of an entire province characterized as a good-natured man who sometimes embroiders on tulle? Probably because there is nothing to say about him as a leader. From here it is easy to draw a conclusion about how negligently and dishonestly the governor treats his official duties and civic duty. The same can be said about his subordinates. Gogol widely uses in the poem the technique of characterizing the hero by other characters. For example, when a witness was needed to formalize the purchase of serfs, Sobakevich tells Chichikov that the prosecutor, as an idle person, is probably sitting at home. But this is one of the most significant officials of the city, who must administer justice and ensure compliance with the law. The characterization of the prosecutor in the poem is enhanced by the description of his death and funeral. He did nothing but mindlessly sign papers, as he left all decisions to the solicitor, “the first grabber in the world.” Obviously, the cause of his death was rumors about the sale of “dead souls”, since it was he who was responsible for all the illegal affairs that took place in the city. Bitter Gogolian irony is heard in thoughts about the meaning of the prosecutor’s life: “...why he died, or why he lived, only God knows.” Even Chichikov, looking at the funeral of the prosecutor, involuntarily comes to the thought that the only thing the deceased can be remembered for is his thick black eyebrows.

The writer gives a close-up of a typical image of the official Ivan Antonovich, the Jug Snout. Taking advantage of his position, he extorts bribes from visitors. It’s funny to read about how Chichikov put a “piece of paper” in front of Ivan Antonovich, “which he did not notice at all and immediately covered with a book.” But it’s sad to realize what a hopeless situation Russian citizens found themselves in, dependent on dishonest, self-interested people representing state power. This idea is emphasized by Gogol’s comparison of the civil chamber official with Virgil. At first glance, it is unacceptable. But the vile official, like the Roman poet in The Divine Comedy, leads Chichikov through all the circles of bureaucratic hell. This means that this comparison strengthens the impression of the evil that permeates the entire administrative system of Tsarist Russia.

Gogol gives in the poem a unique classification of officials, dividing representatives of this class into lower, thin and fat. The writer gives a sarcastic characterization of each of these groups. The lowest ones, according to Gogol's definition, are nondescript clerks and secretaries, as a rule, bitter drunkards. By “thin” the author means the middle stratum, and the “thick” are the provincial nobility, which firmly holds on to their places and deftly extracts considerable income from their high position.

Gogol is inexhaustible in choosing surprisingly accurate and apt comparisons. Thus, he likens officials to a squadron of flies that swoop down on tasty morsels of refined sugar. Provincial officials are also characterized in the poem by their usual activities: playing cards, drinking, lunches, dinners, gossip. Gogol writes that in the society of these civil servants, “meanness, completely disinterested, pure meanness” flourishes. Their quarrels do not end in a duel, because “they were all civil officials.” They have other methods and means through which they play dirty tricks on each other, which can be more difficult than any duel. There are no significant differences in the way of life of officials, in their actions and views. Gogol portrays this class as thieves, bribe-takers, slackers and swindlers who are bound together by mutual responsibility. That’s why the officials felt so uncomfortable when Chichikov’s scam was revealed, because each of them remembered their sins. If they try to detain Chichikov for his fraud, then he too will be able to accuse them of dishonesty. A comical situation arises when people in power help a swindler in his illegal machinations and are afraid of him.

In his poem, Gogol expands the boundaries of the district town, introducing into it “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin.” It no longer talks about local abuses, but about the arbitrariness and lawlessness that is committed by the highest St. Petersburg officials, that is, the government itself. The contrast between the unheard-of luxury of St. Petersburg and the pitiful beggarly position of Kopeikin, who shed blood for his fatherland and lost an arm and a leg, is striking. But, despite his injuries and military merits, this war hero does not even have the right to the pension due to him. A desperate disabled person tries to find help in the capital, but his attempt is frustrated by the cold indifference of a high-ranking official. This disgusting image of a soulless St. Petersburg nobleman completes the characterization of the world of officials. All of them, starting with the petty provincial secretary and ending with the representative of the highest administrative power, are dishonest, selfish, cruel people, indifferent to the fate of the country and the people. It is to this conclusion that N. V. Gogol’s wonderful poem “Dead Souls” leads the reader.

N.V. Gogol, when creating his poem “Dead Souls,” thought about showing what Rus' looks like from one side.” Chichikov is the main character of the poem and Gogol talks about him most of all. This is an ordinary official who buys “dead souls” from landowners. The author managed to show the entire sphere of activity of Russian officials, talk about the city and its inhabitants as a whole.

The first volume of the work clearly shows the bureaucratic and landowner life of Russia from the negative side. The entire provincial society, officials and landowners are part of a kind of “dead world”.

(Gogol's provincial town in the poem "Dead Souls")

The provincial town is shown very clearly. Here one can see the indifference of the authorities to ordinary residents, emptiness, disorder and dirt. And only after Chichikov comes to the landowners, a general view of Russian bureaucracy appears.

Gogol shows bureaucracy from the point of view of lack of spirituality and thirst for profit. The official Ivan Antonovich loves bribes very much, so he is ready to do anything for the sake of it. To get it, he is even ready to sell his soul.

(Official conversations)

Unfortunately, such officials are a reflection of the entire Russian bureaucracy. Gogol tries to show in his work a large concentration of swindlers and thieves who create a kind of corporation of corrupt officials.

The bribe becomes a legal matter the moment Chichikov goes to the chairman of the chamber. The most interesting thing is that the chairman himself accepts him as an old friend and immediately gets down to business, telling him that friends do not have to pay anything.

(Ordinary moments of social life)

During a conversation with an official, interesting moments in the life of city officials appear. Sobakevich characterizes the prosecutor as an “idle man” who constantly sits at home, and the lawyer does all the work for him. At the head of the entire system is the police chief, whom everyone calls the “benefactor.” His charity is to steal and enable others to do the same. No one in power has any idea what honor, duty and legality are. These are completely soulless people.

Gogol's story reveals all the masks, showing people from the side of their cruelty and inhumanity. And this applies not only to provincial, but also to district officials. The work is dedicated to the heroic year of 1812, which shows the full contrast of the petty, soulless bureaucratic world that Gogol saw at that time in modern Russia.

(Courtyard meetings and balls)

The worst thing is that the work shows the fate of the captain, who fought for his Motherland, is completely crippled, he cannot feed himself, but this does not bother anyone at all. The highest ranks of St. Petersburg do not pay any attention to him and this is very frightening. Society is on the verge of indifference to everything.

The work written by Gogol many years ago does not leave indifferent the inhabitants of the modern world, since all the problems remain relevant at the moment.

A generalized description of city officials in Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls” and received the best answer

Answer from
Korobochka Nastasya Petrovna is a widow-landowner, the second “saleswoman” of dead souls to Chichikov. The main feature of her character is commercial efficiency. For K., every person is only a potential buyer.
Manilov is a sentimental landowner, the first “seller” of dead souls.
Gogol emphasizes the emptiness and insignificance of the hero, covered by the sugary pleasantness of his appearance and the details of the furnishings of his estate. M.'s house is open to all winds, the sparse tops of birch trees are visible everywhere, the pond is completely overgrown with duckweed. But the gazebo in M.’s garden is pompously named “Temple of Solitary Reflection.” M.’s office is covered with “blue paint, sort of grey,” which indicates the lifelessness of the hero, from whom you won’t get a single living word.
Nozdryov is the third landowner from whom Chichikov is trying to buy dead souls. This is a dashing 35-year-old “talker, carouser, reckless driver.” N. lies constantly, bullies everyone indiscriminately; he is very passionate, ready to “take a shit” on his best friend without any purpose. N.’s entire behavior is explained by his dominant quality: “nimbleness and liveliness of character,” that is, unrestrainedness bordering on unconsciousness. N. doesn’t think or plan anything; he simply does not know the limits in anything.
Stepan Plyushkin is the last “seller” of dead souls. This hero personifies the complete death of the human soul. In the image of P., the author shows the death of a bright and strong personality, consumed by the passion of stinginess.
The description of P.'s estate (“he does not grow rich according to God”) depicts the desolation and “cluttering” of the hero’s soul. The entrance is dilapidated, there is a special disrepair everywhere, the roofs are like a sieve, the windows are covered with rags. Everything here is lifeless - even the two churches, which should be the soul of the estate
Sobakevich Mikhailo Semenych is a landowner, the fourth “seller” of dead souls. The very name and appearance of this hero (reminiscent of a “medium-sized bear”, his tailcoat is of a “completely bearish” color, he walks at random, his complexion is “red-hot, hot”) indicate the power of his nature.
Chichikov Pavel Ivanovich is the main character of the poem. He, according to the author, has betrayed his true purpose, but is still able to be cleansed and resurrected in soul.
In the “acquirer” of Ch., the author portrayed a new evil for Russia - quiet, average, but enterprising. The average character of the hero is emphasized by his appearance: he is an “average gentleman”, not too fat, not too thin, etc. Ch. is quiet and inconspicuous, round and smooth. Ch.'s soul is like his box - there is a place there only for money (following his father's commandment to “save a penny”). He avoids talking about himself, hiding behind empty book phrases. But Ch.’s insignificance is deceptive. It is he and others like him who begin to rule the world. Gogol speaks of people like Ch.: “terrible and vile force.” She is vile because she cares only about her own benefit and profit, using all means. And it’s scary because it’s very strong. “Acquirers,” according to Gogol, are not capable of reviving the Fatherland. In the poem, Ch. travels around Russia and stops in the city of NN. There he meets all the important people, and then goes to the estates of the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich, along the way he also ends up with Korobochka, Nozdryov and Plyushkin. Ch. sells dead souls to all of them, without explaining the purpose of his purchases. In bargaining, Ch. reveals himself as a great expert on the human soul and as a good psychologist. He finds his own approach to each landowner and almost always achieves his goal. Having bought up the souls, Ch. returns to the city to draw up deeds of sale for them. Here he announces for the first time that he intends to “take out” the purchased souls to new lands, to the Kherson province. Gradually, in the city, the hero’s name begins to become surrounded by rumors, at first very flattering for him, and later destructive (that Ch is a counterfeiter, a fugitive Napoleon and almost the Antichrist). These rumors force the hero to leave the city. Ch. is endowed with the most detailed biography. This speaks of

Officials are a special social stratum, a “link” between the people and the authorities. This is a special world, living by its own laws, guided by its own moral principles and concepts. The topic of exposing the depravity and limitations of this class is topical at all times. Gogol dedicated a number of works to her, using the techniques of satire, humor, and subtle irony.

Arriving in the provincial town of N, Chichikov pays visits to the city's dignitaries in accordance with etiquette, which prescribes visiting the most significant persons first. The first on this “list” was the mayor, to whom “the hearts of the citizens trembled with an abundance of gratitude,” and the last was the city architect. Chichikov acts on the principle: “Don’t have money, have good people to work with.”

What was the provincial city like, about whose welfare the mayor was so “concerned”? There is “bad lighting” on the streets, and the house of the “father” of the city is like a “bright comet” against the background of the dark sky. In the park the trees “became ill”; in the province - crop failures, high prices, and in a brightly lit house - a ball for officials and their families. What can you say about the people gathered here? - Nothing. Before us are “black tailcoats”: no names, no faces. Why are they here? – Show yourself, make the right contacts, have a good time.

However, “tailcoats” are not uniform. “Thick” (they know how to manage things better) and “thin” (people who are not adapted to life). “Fat” people buy real estate, registering it in their wife’s name, while “thin” people let everything they have accumulated go down the drain.

Chichikov is going to make a deed of sale. The “white house” opens to his gaze, which speaks of the purity of the “souls of the positions located in it.” The image of the priests of Themis is limited to a few characteristics: “wide necks”, “lots of paper”. The voices are hoarse among the lower ranks, majestic among the bosses. The officials are more or less enlightened people: some have read Karamzin, and some “have not read anything at all.”

Chichikov and Manilov “move” from one table to another: from the simple curiosity of youth - to Ivan Antonovich Kuvshinny’s snout, full of arrogance and vanity, creating the appearance of work in order to receive the due reward. Finally, the chairman of the chamber, shining like the sun, completes the deal, which should be noted, which is carried out with the light hand of the police chief - a “benefactor” in the city, receiving twice as much income as all his predecessors.

The extensive bureaucratic apparatus in pre-revolutionary Russia was a true disaster for the people. Therefore, it is natural that the satirical writer pays attention to him, sharply criticizing bribery, sycophancy, emptiness and vulgarity, low cultural level, and the unworthy attitude of bureaucrats towards their fellow citizens.

In “Dead Souls” the theme of serfdom is intertwined with the theme of bureaucracy, bureaucratic arbitrariness and lawlessness. The guardians of order in the poem are in many ways akin to the landowners. Gogol draws the attention of readers to this already in the first chapter of Dead Souls. Talking about thin and fat gentlemen, the author of the poem comes to the conclusion: “Finally, the fat man, having served God and the sovereign, having earned universal respect, leaves the service... and becomes a landowner, a glorious Russian gentleman, a hospitable man, and lives and lives well...” This is evil a satire on robber officials and the “hospitable” Russian bar.
Both the owners of the estates and the provincial officials are at the lowest level of culture and education. Manilov, as we remember, has had the same book open on page fourteen for two years now. The officials “were also more or less enlightened people: some read Karamzin, some Moskovskie Vedomosti, some didn’t even read anything at all.”
Landowners and officials do not burden themselves with concerns about state affairs. The concept of civic duty is alien to both. Both of them live idly.
In the notes to the first volume of Dead Souls, Gogol wrote: “The idea of ​​the city. Emptiness that has arisen to the highest degree. Idle talk. Gossip that has gone beyond limits... All this arose from idleness and took on the expression of the most ridiculous..."
When registering the purchase of serfs, witnesses were required. “Send now to the prosecutor,” says Sobakevich, “he is an idle man and probably sits at home: the lawyer Zolotukha, the greatest grabber in the world, does everything for him. An inspector of the medical board, he is also an idle man and, probably, at home, if he has not gone somewhere to play cards ... "
In the society of officials, “meanness, completely disinterested, pure meanness” flourishes. The ladies quarrel, and their husbands quarrel: “Of course, there was no duel between them, because they were all civil officials, but one tried to harm the other wherever possible, which, as we know, is sometimes harder than any duel.”
The city’s leaders are unanimous only in their desire to live widely at the expense of “the sums of their dearly beloved fatherland.” Officials rob both the state and the petitioners. Embezzlement, bribery, robbery of the population are everyday and completely natural phenomena. The police chief “only has to blink when passing a fish row or a cellar” for balychki and excellent wines to appear on his table. No request is considered without a bribe. The chairman of the chamber warns Chichikov: “...don’t give anything to the officials... My friends shouldn’t pay.” The only exception is for friends (but Chichikov still, just in case, did not break the unwritten law and gave a bribe to Ivan Antonovich).
The police keep the city in constant fear. When society began to talk about a possible revolt of Chichikov’s men, the police chief noted that “in the disgust of it (the rebellion) there is the power of the police captain, that the police captain, although he did not go himself, but only sent his own cap to take his place, but one cap will drive the peasants to their very place of residence.”
There is no significant difference in the actions and views of officials, in their way of life. Gogol creates, as it were, a group portrait of people connected by mutual responsibility.
When Chichikov’s scam was revealed, the officials were confused, and everyone “suddenly found ... sins in themselves.” Hence their indecision: is Chichikov the kind of person “who needs to be detained and captured as ill-intentioned, or is he the kind of person who can himself seize and detain them all as ill-intentioned.” The tragic situation in which the “owners of the city” found themselves was created as a result of their criminal activities. Gogol laughs, laughs evilly and mercilessly. People in power help the fraudster in his dirty, criminal machinations and are afraid of him.
Arbitrariness and lawlessness are committed not only by the authorities of the provincial city, but also by senior officials and the government itself. With “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin,” Gogol also touched on this very dangerous topic.
The hero and invalid of the Patriotic War of 1812, Captain Kopeikin, goes to the capital to ask for help. He is struck by the luxury of St. Petersburg, the splendor of the chambers and the cold indifference of the dignitary to the estate of a disabled person. The captain's persistent, legitimate requests for help were unsuccessful. The angry nobleman expelled him from St. Petersburg.
With the image of a soulless dignitary depicted in “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin,” Gogol completes his characterization of the world of officials. All of them, starting from Ivan Antonovich “jug snout”, a minor official of a provincial town, and ending with a nobleman, reveal the same pattern: swindlers, soulless people are guarding the rule of law.
The ending of “The Tale…” is significant. Captain Kopeikin did not accept cruelty and insult. “A gang of robbers appeared in the Ryazan forests, and the ataman of this gang, my sir, was none other...”, like Captain Kopeikin.
With “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin,” Gogol reminded dignitaries of the anger of the oppressed people, of the possibility of open action against the authorities.
“Oh,” you say, after reading about the life of the city of NN, “don’t we ourselves know that there is a lot of despicable and stupid things in life! Why is the author showing us this again?” However, I think Gogol wanted to show this “despicable and stupid” not with the aim of irritating the reader. He wanted to correct a person, make life better. And he believed that only by reflecting, as in a mirror, all social and human vices can one fight them. I believe that the brilliant poem “Dead Souls” is the best confirmation of this.

Essay on literature on the topic: Images of officials in N. V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”

Other writings:

1. In the comedy “The Inspector General” and in the poem “Dead Souls” Gogol addressed important social topics. They talk about the life of entire classes - district officials, local nobility. In the author’s field of vision is “all Rus'”. The places where events take place are generalized and typified: Read More......
2. The kingdom of officials is in the same dead sleep as the estates. Talking about the habits of city residents, Gogol makes a remark that allows us to attribute the symbolic meaning of the name - “Dead Souls” - to the city: “Everyone... stopped all kinds of acquaintances long ago and were known only as Read More ......
3. In the poem, Gogol reveals many diseases of Russian society. One of the main moral and social ills, in his opinion, was serfdom. Showing different characters, the author highlights what they have in common: they are all “dead souls.” From Manilov's fruitless dreams draining him to Read More......
4. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, loving Russia with all his heart, could not stand aside, seeing that it was mired in the swamp of corrupt officials, and therefore creates two works that reflect the reality of the state of the country. One of these works is the comedy “The Inspector General”, in which Gogol Read More ......
5. Based on the plot suggested by Pushkin, Gogol writes a work where, in his words, “there would be more than one thing to laugh at.” Gogol soon realizes that the thing he is creating does not fit any definition of a literary genre. Following the example of Pushkin – Read More ......
6. In his famous address to the “troika bird,” Gogol did not forget the master to whom the troika owes its existence: “Not a cunning, it seems, road projectile, not grabbed by an iron screw, but hastily, alive, with one ax and a chisel, the Yaroslavl equipped and assembled you quick guy." Read More......
7. The image of the people in the poem “Dead Souls”. The poem “Dead Souls” occupies a special place in the works of N.V. Gogol. Gogol’s global plan is to show all of Russia in cross-section, all its vices and shortcomings. The majority of the population of Russia at that time were peasants. In Read More......
8. At the beginning of work on the poem, N.V. Gogol wrote to V.A. Zhukovsky: “What a huge, what an original plot! What a varied bunch! All Rus' will appear in it.” This is how Gogol himself determined the scope of his work - all of Rus'. And the writer managed to show in Read More......